NAGPUR: Maiden meeting of newly inducted BJP-Vaidyakiya Aghadi (Medical front) Vidarbha office bearers was held in Nagpur on Saturday. BJP intiative to unite doctors under its banners gains importance ahead of the graduates constituency elections. The new team of BJP medical front was formed during the lockdown and leading doctors from private hospitals have joined it in Vidarbha.
Right after the meeting, former CM and the leader of opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis addressed a campaign meet of graduates constituency in which he especially highlighted issues of private doctors.
“State government has failed to give justice to private healthcare sector and have bypassed norms to make them work under compelling circumstances without proper compensation or insurance,” Fadnavis said.
He also criticized Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for not having visited Vidarbha even during Covid crisis and asked whether the government was only for Mumbai and Pune.
“Medical front of Bharatiya Janata Party is a novel undertaking to unite all pathy doctors, nurses, paramedical brethren and pharmacists so that mutual issues are understood and a common front is formed to raise the issues affecting all factions of healthcare,” said Dr Vinky Rughwani, Vidarbha coordinator for the front.
“Usually it is noted that doctors of different pathies, dentists, nurses, paramedical and pharmacists have their separate groups and associations. But the medical front will be a unique undertaking,” said Dr Anup Marar, convener for East Vidarbha. Doctors also released a book on Devendra Fadnavis during the meeting.
Dr Ajeet Gopchade, the state convener, lambasted the state government for not releasing the insurance amount to deceased Covid warriors from private healthcare sector. “Common people only hear about extortion and blackmailing by doctors. We are now working in a threatening atmosphere. We need public support for which BJP is the best platform,” he said.
Rajya Sabha MP Dr Vikas Mahatme and Dr Uday Bodhankar, both state advisors of the front, Dr Kishore Malokar, west Vidarbha convener, Dr Ashutosh Gupta, president- Maharashtra Council of Indian Medicine, Sanjay Dhotre, convener- paramedical wing, Dr Rashmi Shukla and Dr Anil Kanojiya, co-conveners of homeopath wing, Dr Dnyanesh Dakhulkar, co-convener- east Vidarbha and Dr Dhananjay Kulkarni, co-convener of paramedical wing attended.
Aloso present were Dr Sachin Bagadiya, convener- Marathvada, Dr Prashant Chakkarwar and Dr Amol Kelkar-west Vidarbha co-conveners, district presidents Dr Girish Charde- Nagpur City, Dr Priti Manmode- Nagpur rural, Dr Kishore Fale- Wardha, Dr Rajesh Saraf- Buldana, Dr Sandeep Khangar- Bhandara, Dr Chandan Pande- Yavatmal.