New Delhi: Over 70 Padma award-winning doctors expressed their shock over the Kolkata rape and murder in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the speedy passage of a special law to combat violence against medical personnel and the implementation of enhanced safety protocols in medical facilities.
They suggested that the central government immediately issue an ordinance to ensure the “harshest possible punishment” for those guilty of verbal or physical violence against health workers. The alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and allegations of a botched investigation and cover-up have sparked widespread protests by health workers and others. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and other doctors’ associations are pushing for a central law to ensure safety of medical professionals.
The letter’s authors include former Director General of ICMR Dr Balram Bhargav, former Director of AIIMS Delhi Dr Randeep Guleria and Dr SK Sarin, Director of Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences. In the letter, the Padma awardees requested Prime Minister Modi to take immediate and personal action to address the alarming situation. They said such brutalities shook the foundations of the work of healthcare professionals and underscored the urgent need to combat violence, especially against women, girls and healthcare professionals.
The doctors expressed their “deep concern and profound anguish” over the horrific events at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. “We stand in unwavering solidarity with the victim’s family, whose pain and loss are unimaginable. We also extend our full support to the medical community, which is increasingly confronted with such violence in the course of its work. The safety and dignity of medical personnel must be protected with the utmost priority,” the letter said.
The doctors said that stricter measures are urgently needed to prevent such atrocities. “We call on law enforcement authorities, policymakers and society at large to act immediately and decisively,” the letter said. The doctors stressed that law enforcement authorities must more strictly enforce existing legislation to protect health workers and called for strict and swift punishments to deter such crimes.
The letter calls on the government to implement enhanced safety protocols in healthcare facilities to ensure a safe working environment for all medical workers. “We request the central and state governments to expeditiously enact and implement a separate law to protect healthcare workers and ensure its speedy enforcement on the ground,” the letter said.
“A draft bill entitled ‘The Prevention of Violence Against Doctors, Medical Professionals and Medical Institutions’ has been pending since 2019 but has not yet been submitted to Parliament for enactment and approval. We firmly believe that an ordinance to this effect can be enacted immediately and the bill should be passed as soon as possible so that all those working in the country’s healthcare system can work without fear in serving suffering patients,” the letter said.
The doctors also stressed that the proposed regulation/bill should ensure that those who engage in verbal or physical violence against healthcare workers receive the harshest punishment. Such cases should be resolved expeditiously by the judiciary, with offences being classified as non-bailable.
“Let this tragedy serve as a catalyst for real, lasting change. Through this letter, we make an earnest appeal to you to protect the medical profession from physical attacks and violation of the dignity and respect of all healthcare workers,” the letter said. The doctors being awarded include radiologist and founder and managing director of Mahajan Imaging Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Dr. Nikhil Tandon, head of the department of endocrinology at AIIMS, Delhi, Dr. DS Rana, head of the department of nephrology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Dr. Dr. Sandeep Guleria, a transplant specialist.
