Safety of healthcare professionals non-negotiable: IMA chief
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IMA vows to fight for safety of healthcare professionals
The RG Kar Hospital’s junior doctor’s rape-murder has brought medica professionals on the street to demand security at workplaces. The Indian Medical Association said that West Bengal still doesn’t have a law in place to ensure safety of healthcare professionals.
Dr. RV Asokan, president of the IMA, spoke to Bhawna Malik about his concerns and views on the security of healthcare professionals.
Q. IMA had called for a nationwide strike and today it was called off. Can you explain reason?
Dr. Asokan: The resident and junior doctors are still on strike and will continue (with their protests). The IMA (Indian Medical Association) has called off the nationwide strike as the Supreme Court has intervened and raised genuine concerns about the safety of the health care professionals. The investigation has been handed over to the CBI.
Q. IMA has criticised the West Bengal Government and you met Union Minister for Health and Family welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda also. Do you think that Centre will intervene?
Dr. Asokan: No. Talking of West Bengal – it has no state law to deal with violence against doctors and we are pressing for that. The women healthcare professionals have increased up to 60 per cent. We have women as doctors, nurses and other female staff. Female physiotherapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, dieticians, Nutritionists, dental doctors are much more in number than their male counterparts.
They have night shifts too and are vulnerable. Hence security must be beefed up and the laws need to be in place.
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Q How was your meeting with Nadda? Did you get any positive response from the minister?
Dr. Asokan: I must confess that our experience with the government has been quite disappointing. The talks are on with the government since 2017 and much before that. We want hospitals to be declared as safe zones. Is that too much to ask for? We are ready for a dialogue and all possible cooperation but the action has to be initiated by the government.
Q. What action are you expecting from the government?
Dr. Asokan: We want hospitals to be declared as Safe Zones. Right to Life is our basic fundamental right. Talking of this issue, a selfless doctor was doing her duty and she was brutally raped and murdered.
A law must be made for this or at least the government can bring an ordinance. Either the government is lacking the political will or they are not considering it a serious issue. It will empower our women professionals. The government has failed to acknowledge this hence no solution is looked for by the government.
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Q. Can an ordinance be passed in a haste or a law be made without much consideration and also only for one section of professionals?
Dr. Asokan: Even resident doctors are demanding this ordinance. The law would empower women of all professions. This is not for doctors or engineers or any specific profession.
This is what the minister asked us. We have had discussions with the government since 2017. The government assured us with action but nothing was done. The amendments are already discussed and in place then why this wait?
The people are with us, the nation is with us. It is not our personal call or demand, it’s a citizens’ call. The people of the country want this too and it is a political opportunity for the government also. So far our experience with the government has been – once bitten twice shy. What are we waiting for – more such heinous crimes?
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Q. You have mentioned that we are not living in an age of Innocence. Can you elaborate on that?
Dr. Asokan: Earlier the doctor patient relation was different. We are living in an age of 24/7 internet, age of information and knowledge. Now, it’s not the time that people are innocent or naive or everything is safe. We are dealing with different mind sets hence hospitals need to be safe and stricter laws in place.
The hospitals must be patient friendly, the attendants must not face harassment and they must also feel safe in hospitals. Kerala High Court had given a ruling that within 100 metres of any hospital there would be no protest or public rally. These steps must be followed.
Q. What safeguards do you feel hospitals and medical colleges need to have in place. It’s not only the government’s duty?
Dr. Asokan: Yes. The medical colleges and hospitals must ensure that safety measures like CCTVs, guards and police personal must be in place. The credentials and id’s of all the security guards and ward boys and also other staff must be thoroughly checked before hiring.
The doctors and nurses must have their retiring rooms and not sleeping in the conference halls like this doctor was. We all need to be culturally sensitive. The emergencies and other wards must be separated from the main area, dark corridors must be well lit and having a security guard for vigilance.
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Q. In hospitals there is an arrangement for providing an attendant through a service if the patient has no family like senior citizens with children settled abroad or single women having no family to stay with them. Women as attendants have to get medicines or reports in the wee hours of morning and that area is secluded. Who ensures their safety?
Dr. Asokan: Well, I am not aware that hospitals provide such paid services and yes this too is a concern. All should feel safe inside the hospital. We cannot have covered everything and everyone under one law but yes safety is a right of everyone.
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Q Talking of the autopsy report of Nirbhaya 2.0, as a medical professional what’s your opinion?
Dr. Asokan: It’s surely not a one man, may be two or a group. Her neck bone was broken, she had injury marks on her body, eyes were bleeding, lips were injured. She was a young healthy woman of 31.
She must have fought back and resisted, and it was difficult to overpower her single handedly. It’s my opinion, rest investigation is still going on. If it’s a foul play by a colleague, then he must be tried as a criminal and not a colleague.
Q. What would be your next move?
Dr. Asokan: The IMA will continue its fight. We won’t let people forget this issue or let the government sit doing nothing. We are in the process of preparing a document having suggestions and signatures of all the people who matter- doctors, activists, opinion makers, journalists, lawyers, pressure groups that would ensure that govt acts and justice is served.
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