Medical interns at private medical college stage protest for assigning them to Covid-19 duty without consent

Several internee medical students on Friday morning staged a protest at a city based private medical college alleging that the college has assigned them Covid-19 duty without obtaining their consent.

The protesting students said that the college management has asked them to report to Covid-19 work and neither it was discussed nor were they briefed about the task. "There are no safety measures in place to protect our health and the institution is asking us to report for the Covid-19 duty," said one of the students.

Another student said, "We are not against working in the forefront. But we demand the management to put a protocol in place and we want to know what are the measures to test us, if we fall sick or any insurance or quarantine facility after the work hours."

The students were also clueless about the attendance and stipend if they go on quarantine ranging from seven days to 14-days as it would adversely affect the academic performance.

Interns working with various private medical colleges across the state have also raised objections in the past one week with the college managements for assigning them Covid-19 duty without any consultation or safety protocol.