‘Stop Violence on Doctors’ pleads KMC Student during Protest
Mangaluru : To condemn the violence against doctors in West Bengal, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) observed a nationwide protest on Friday (14 June) all over India, and the Mangaluru Chapter of IMA also protested in front of the IMA Building, Hampankatta-Mangaluru . In a statement, the IMA said it was worried over the brutal attack on Dr. Paribha Mukherjee at NRS Medical College in Kolkata. The World Medical Association has passed a resolution against violence on healthcare centres and called for bringing strong legislation.
Recalling the incident, where a junior doctor was left with a fractured skull during the clashes between doctors at the NRS Medical College-Kolkota (WB), and the mob, few days ago. The clashes were triggered by the death of a 75-year-old patient. The family alleged that he died due to medical negligence and thronged the hospital at night, attacking the resident doctors. The widespread protests with its centre stage at NRS have now spread across West Bengal, and other parts of India, while Delhi and Mumbai doctors also joining them a day after Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee issuing an ultimatum in Kolkata. As the stalemate over doctors’ protest in Kolkata enters the fourth day on Friday with no solution in sight, doctors at AIIMS Delhi along with the other centres in Patna, Raipur, Rajasthan, Punjab also joined the agitation in solidarity with their counterparts in Bengal.
Speaking during the protest Dr Sachindanand Rai- President of IMA-Mangaluru Chapter said, “Our organization has moved into a agitation mode following increasing incidences of violence against doctors and health care establishments. And today’s protest is in support of the attack on the young doctor in Kolkota, who is critical and fighting for his life. The IMA demands a national law against hospital violence that provides minimum seven years imprisonment for perpetrators of hospital violence. It demands a law that would ensure cases are registered and culprits are arrested and convicted. Mandatory provisions in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act be instituted. The IMA wants hospitals to be declared special zones and the State to provide security to them”..
“All branches of IMA will email an appeal for a Central law against hospital violence to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. World Medical Association has also passed a resolution against violence on the health care sectors and has urged to bring stronger legislation against this menace. We will also submit a memorandum to ADC, since the DC is out of station, and other higher authorities in the District Administration. We strongly condemn the brutal violence at NRS Medical college, and the entire medical fraternity of Mangaluru have expressed solidarity to the seriously injured doctor. IMA is ready for an agitation to press for strong legislation and strict action against hospital violence” added Dr Rai.
Also speaking during the protest, Dr Sudhindra Rao M- Hon Secretary of IMA-Mangaluru Chapter said, “National Law against violence on hospitals has to be brought in urgently. To ensure that the cases are registered, culprits are arrested and conviction is necessitated, appropriate mandatory provisions as provided in the POCSO act has to be instituted. Hospitals should be declared as special zones and provision of appropriate security should be the responsibility of the state.
It has been observed that the increase in violence will adversely affect the public health at large. Not only the patients undergoing the treatment in the institution facing violence will be directly affected but also there are lot of indirect consequences. Institutions will be reluctant to take up complicated and risky patients which will affect public health at large. Threat of violence increases the stress levels of health care workers. Sound judgment regarding patient care will be compromised in such situations”.
Medical students Miss Shree, Miss Suranjana, Dr Aviral, among others also expressed their anger and put forth their demands and asked the central government to protect the doctors from violence and atrocities from the kith and kin of patients- and if that’s the case taking up the medical profession would be a risky affair. Dr Annayya Kulal M U-President Elect, Dr Vinay Kumar- Treasurer, Dr G K Bhat, Dr Eshwar Keerthi, Dr Manohar Revankar (Members) of IMA- Mangaluru were among others present during the protest. The protest was joined by many medical students of KMC, A J College of Medical Sciences, Father Muller, among others.
Following the protest, a few board and members of IMA-Mangaluru and a bevy of Medical students met the Additional Deputy Commissioner and Additional District Magistrate R Venkatachalapathy (in the absence of DC Sasikanth Senthil) and submitted a memorandum to him, to do the needful.