The Central Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), regarding the rise in the number of brutality and assault instances on the resident doctors, has written to the Commissioner of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) and has requested for strengthening of security measures at medical colleges spread across the state of Maharashtra.
The letter was forwarded today, Saturday, May 4.
Doctors' security neglected
The letter begins by condemning the recent attack on a surgical resident doctor at the Government Medical College (GMC) in the Akola district of Maharashtra. According to a report by Medical Dialogues, the resident doctors were attacked with rods and slippers after the patient had collapsed.
"We are deeply disturbed by the reports of the assault on a Surgery resident doctor at Government Medical College and Hospital, Akola, which occurred on May 3, 2024. This act of violence against a member of the medical community is unacceptable and we strongly condemn it in the strongest terms," read the letter.
Security of tantamount importance
Members of MARD emphasise the safety and security of the healthcare professionals, as they render essential services to the community and the country, even under challenging circumstances. Given the nature of their job and the sanctity of the profession, the letter states that any kind of violence against them is not only a crime committed against a citizen but also an attack on the profession.
According to the letter, "Any form of violence against them is not only a crime against the individuals but also an attack on the sanctity of the medical profession and public health at large."
Increase in attacks
The letter goes on to state that there has been an increase in the frequency of security breaches and incidents that have raised concerns about the safety of the medical students, faculty, and staff on the premises of the medical institutions. Dr Abhijit Helge, President, MARD, lists a few that took place, the recent one being at the GMC Akola.
On April 21, 2024, a female resident doctor was attacked on her head with an iron rod at the GMC Sambhaji Nagar, Aurangabad.
A similar incident of assault took place on April 19, again at GMC Akola, against a Paediatrics doctor.
On April 19, 2024, a doctor was slapped by a patient who was an assault victim. He along with a fellow doctor were further assaulted by the people who brought the patient in, at the Post Graduate Institute-Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (PGI YCMH) in Pimpri, reported Hindustan Times.
In the year 2023, on December 10, another case came up at PGI-YCMH Pimpri of doctors being assaulted.
An incident took place in September 2023, at the GMC Chandrapur, when a 27-year-old resident doctor on duty in the casualty department was attacked by the patient's relatives, according to a report by The Times of India. The medical institution also reported an attack this year as well as in the month of January.
According to Dr Helge, there have been more than nine such violent attacks in a span of 16 months.
What is their demand?
"These incidents not only threaten the physical well-being of individuals but also disrupt the academic environment, which is crucial for the nurturing of future medical professionals," states the letter.
Hence, the MARD demands that there is an immediate need for building a secure and safe educational atmosphere. They hope that adequate measures will be taken to further concretise norms that ensure the security and protection of these doctors against various forms of violence, and prevent any such incidents from taking place in near future.
