The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for the introduction of a central law to protect doctors and hospitals, following the rape and murder incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal. The case has sent shockwaves through the medical community and the nation and has stirred massive protests.
In a press release, the IMA stated, “The RG Kar incident has brought to fore two dimensions of violence in the hospital: A crime of barbaric scale due to the lack of safe spaces for women and the hooliganism that is unleashed due to lack of an organised security protocol. The crime and the vandalism have shocked the conscience of the nation. Today both the medical fraternity and the nation are victims.”
Further, to address these issues, IMA has also put forth a series of demands aimed at ensuring the safety and security of healthcare professionals and patients. They include the need for a Central Act that incorporates amendments from the 2023 Epidemic Diseases Act into the draft Hospital Protection Bill of 2019. The association also urged for hospital security to be elevated to the level of airport protocols, with mandatory safety measures such as CCTVs and professional security personnel.
In a show of solidarity and protest, the IMA has announced a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of services by modern medicine doctors, effective from Saturday, August 17, 6 am to Sunday, August 18, 6 am. While emergencies and casualty services will remain operational, there will be no outpatient departments (OPDs) or elective surgeries during this period.
