Panaji, Apr 29 (IANS): Government resident doctors manning Covid-19 hospitals in Goa have threatened to immediately withdraw their services in wake of continued multiple violent attacks by relatives of deceased Covid-19 patients.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Goa Association of Resident Doctors, which represents around 300 resident doctors working in government hospitals, has also said that hospitals in Goa are "crippled by lack of adequate facilities, oxygen supply, beds, manpower".

"It is always resident doctors who are at the receiving end of abuses for lack of beds and other facilities. The people of Goa need to understand that we have joined GMC as post-graduate students and are providing medicinal services as a part of learning.

"We too have parents and families back home just like you all who are waiting on the other side to see us all safe and supporting us fearlessly to do our job of serving the public. And if the coronavirus wasn't enough, we now have to face backlash from the very people we are trying to serve," the Association said in the statement.

The resident doctors attached to the Goa Medical College, the South Goa District Hospital and the Employees' State Insurance hospital in Margao, have warned that if the violent episodes continue, they would "have no other choice but to withdraw our services with immediate effect as the people and authorities have left us with no other choice".

"We will not be giving any further notices or warnings before stopping our services. If the administration cannot provide security to the doctors or if the people of Goa fail to understand the situation and the plight of the healthcare workers, then we won't be responsible for any further untoward incidents happening as a result of withdrawal of our services," the statement said.