By- Sahr Ahmed
The Tragic Incident:
The case of the rape and brutal murder of a PG trainee doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital at Kolkata has created quite a soup in India. It involved a newly-employed young doctor who was found dead due to exhaustion during a 36-hour continuous work, and the case grew into a national controversy. The Calcutta High Court has since directed the case to be taken over by the CBI and has called upon the Kolkata police to submit the documents in the matter without delay.
The Indian Medical Association, which acts in the name of the medical profession, has enunciated its demands for better protection. This case is not an exception, it is a perfect example of the rampant act of violence against doctors across the length and breadth of India for decades now.
The Protests:
Given this tragedy, the resident doctors in all centers and states started a protest for justice for their colleagues and a better safer working environment. Hospitals are bracing for the heat of the protest, spearheaded by the Indian Medical Association. The protests have also brought into focus the matter of safety in health centers, physicians have asked the government to ensure that hospitals are tagged as ‘safe spaces’.
The Requirement for a Special Law:
Probably one of the most important proposals of the IMA is the adoption of a fundamental law for the protection of doctors and other healthcare professionals from violence. Currently, twenty-five states have laws against violence, but as there is no central statute, the protections are piecemeal and frequently inadequate. The President of the IMA, Dr. R. V Asokan has called for legally enforceable layers of security protection for the entire healthcare personnel saying there is no business that is as dangerous as the business of healthcare delivery.
Measures and Steps Forward:
To prevent such incidents in the future, several steps can be taken:
Central Legislation:
There’s a need to pass and insist on implementing a single special law that addresses the issues. Such a law must also have provisions that prescribe severe punishment to anyone who molests doctors, and that hospitals should employ security measures.
Hospital Security:
To enhance patient safety, and to ensure that hospitals are safe places for patients, they should be given a status of safe zones with multiple layers of security. This could be through checking visits and preventing access, conducting patrols or having security guards do so, or limiting access to particular regions.
Mental Health Support:
This means that healthcare workers are always under a lot of pressure and this results in bad health such as burnout. Holding a counselor or psychologist could have still assisted in preventing the sad event of the incident in Kolkata.
Awareness Campaigns:
Additional public campaigns to create awareness of the need to protect and not use violence on healthcare workers also contribute to a lesser extent.
Swift Judicial Action:
If doctors are attacked it is imperative to act immediately to respond to violence, make justice, and provide examples to prevent similar events in the future. This is a new ray of hope and confidence in CBI and justice and safety measures in the Kolkata case.
Conclusion:
The Kolkata doctor rape and murder case has brought focus on the need to improve India’s safety for healthcare professionals. Stemming from this there should be affirmative actions taken by the authorities when the protests are still underway. Tough measures have to be implemented, including safety measures in hospitals, and providing counseling to those who give their best to make others’ lives better.
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