Amid COVID scare, medical camps come up at borders

New Delhi: While medical experts in Delhi have warned that the farmers' protests on the Capital's borders could soon turn into a superspreader event, the unyielding farmers at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders maintain that the three farm laws introduced by the Centre posed a graver threat to them and their lives.

However, as support for the farmers grew across the country, several humanitarian organisations, doctors and political organisations have now set up medical camps for regular health check-ups and to tend to the wounds of those protesters injured by the excessive police force on their way to the Capital's borders.

Many doctors said that injured farmers are still arriving at the borders. In fact, the Delhi government has also provided a first-aid ambulance with an oximeter and other essentials.

With winter reaching its peak and a lot of older population sitting on roads, many cases of fever have started coming up. Speaking to Millennium Post, Dr Manpreet Kaur, who has set up a medical camp at the protest site in Singhu and is part of Sikh Unity, an international organisation, said that they are distributing masks and also tending to other patients. "We received about 30 patients since yesterday who were injured in the clash on November 27. Besides, we have all medical facilities for anyone feeling sick. We are also distributing masks," Dr Kaur said.

Meanwhile, many Sikh organisations have donated their medical vans for the protesters. "We have all the medical facilities here and are looking after all the patients. We are still receiving a lot of injured patients while many with fever and cold are also coming," a doctor at one of the vans said.

Amid the Covid-19 scare, many farmers have even got themselves tested before coming to the protest. Prabhjot Singh from Patiala had gotten himself tested in mid-November. Showing Millennium Post the rapid antigen test which was negative, he said that about 100 people from his district had got themselves tested. "It's not like we are not taking precautions also. And after we win and go back home, we will get ourselves tested again," he added.

Many farmers have also expressed dismay that public discourse seems to talk of COVID-19 scare only when farmers come to demand their rights.

Gursharanjeet Singh from Bilaspur, Uttar Pradesh, said his family is entirely dependent on produce from their six-acre farm. He was at the Burari ground where a handful of farmers are protesting.

"If we stay careful we won't get corona, but if we don't protest against these farm laws and this government we will definitely die of hunger," he said. His desperation finds resonance at the Singhu and Tikri border points, where farmers have been camping in large numbers.

Workers organisation, AICCTU has also set up a medical camp in the area. Medical experts are available all throughout for the protesters, who can approach them late at night. The doctors have said that they are also open to donations in the form of medicines as more people are joining in for the protest. Masks are also being distributed to protesters in large

numbers. (With PTI inputs)