‘Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Neither First, Nor Last Case Of Violence’: IMA Gives 2 Days To Centre, State

The murder and rape of the Kolkata doctor is neither the first nor the last instance of violence against medical professionals, the chief of India’s largest lobby of doctors, Indian Medical Association (IMA) told News18.

On August 9, chaos erupted at R G Kar Medical College in Kolkata when the body of a woman resident doctor was discovered bearing multiple injuries. The doctor, who had been on a 36-hour shift, had gone to the seminar room to rest around 2 a.m. due to the lack of a designated duty room for doctors. Preliminary findings suggest that she was sexually assaulted.

RV Asokan, national president of IMA, said that “while such abuse has become a routine occurrence in India, but unfortunately, it takes such severe incidents to draw attention to the problem".

“This is the safety status of big government hospitals then imagine how safe the public health centres (PHCs) are in remote areas. It’s the right time to bring back the Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments Bill, 2019, which was shelved after extending the bill for public comments," Asokan said, while adding that the IMA had worked along the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to draft this bill and since then, the IMA has been demanding a central law on violence against doctors and hospitals.

According to the apex lobby of 3.5 lakh doctors in the country, the incident is “brutal and cruel" and has “shaken the conscience" of the entire nation.

“We are dealing with the situation in consultation with our West Bengal branch. What we want from the West Bengal government is an impartial and thorough investigation of the case, including a detailed inquiry into the conditions that enabled the crime, along with urgent steps to improve the safety of doctors, particularly women, in the workplace, and the punishment of the culprits."

The IMA has given “an ultimatum" of two days on demands made before central and state government, which include declaring hospitals as safe zones, defining security measures and bringing central law on violence.

“We have been asking for some solace for a very long time, but silence from the central government is condoning. If the government won’t take any steps, we will have no choice but to protest," said Asokan, who is a practising physician based in Punalur, a small town in Kollam district, Kerala.

HOW ‘HEALTHCARE SERVICE PERSONNEL AND CLINICAL ESTABLISHMENTS BILL’ WILL HELP?

According to the draft of the Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments Bill, 2019, whoever commits violence against any healthcare professional shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of six months to five years and a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh. Also, in cases of causing grievous hurt to any healthcare service personnel, the imprisonment would be from three years to 10 years with a fine of Rs 2 lakh rupees to Rs 10 lakh.

It also says that in case, the property was damaged or lost, the person responsible might have to pay twice the amount of the property’s current market value or the value of the loss. Also, if someone causes minor harm to healthcare workers, they may have to pay Rs 1 lakh. If the harm is serious or severe, the fine could be Rs 5 lakh.

IMA ASKS HEALTH MINISTER TO ACT

The IMA on Monday wrote to Union health minister JP Nadda, seeking an appointment to request the enactment of the law against the violence along with a list of five demands.

“We, on behalf of the medical profession of the country seek an appointment in person with your good self," the letter said, while adding that “the doctors of this country have been suffering for the past few decades due to the violence unleashed on them".

The IMA says that the current incident of violence has created an atmosphere of fear and subjugation among the medical fraternity and the pedestrian working conditions, inhuman workload and violence in the workplace are the reality.

“They suffer in silence. Doctors take huge stress on themselves. They die young. In life they are abused, trolled, sued and even beaten to death. Doctors deserve better consideration from the governments."

The IMA has asked the government to declare hospitals across the country as safe zones and all major government hospitals should have police camps and adequate security personnel. It has also asked for similar security arrangements to be made mandatory in large private hospitals. “CCTV cameras at vulnerable points should be made compulsory."

Also, the letter stated: “25 states have the law on the attack on doctors and hospitals. They are mostly ineffective on the ground and do not serve the purpose of deterrence… the absence of a special central enactment is one of the reasons. We kindly request you to reconsider introducing the draft legislation ‘The Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of violence and damage to property) Bill, 2019’ incorporating the amendments in the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, approved and passed by the Parliament in Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2020."