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Protests are being held across the country demanding justice for the murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Now 71 Padma award winning doctors have written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding justice. They have demanded immediate and decisive action against the culprits of the heinous crime in Kolkata and a separate law to deal with both physical and verbal violence against doctors, medical professionals and medical institutions.
Those who wrote the letter to PM Modi include Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Dr. Anoop Mishra, Dr. AK Grover, Dr. Alka Kriplani, Dr. Mohsin Wali, Dr. Ambrish Mithal, Dr. Pradeep Choubey, Dr. Anil Kohli and other doctors.
In the letter written to PM Modi, the doctors said that they are writing to you with deep concern and deep pain about the horrific incidents that took place at RG Kar Medical College. As the head of our nation, we pray for your immediate and personal intervention to deal with this worrying situation. He said that such acts of brutality shake the foundations of service by medical professionals and highlight the urgent need to address violence against women, girls and health care professionals in particular.
Standing in solidarity with the victim’s family
He said that 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 facing such violence in the course of their work.
He wrote that the safety and dignity of health care professionals must be safeguarded with the highest priority. It is clear that strong measures are desperately needed to prevent such atrocities. He said that we call on law enforcement agencies, policymakers and society at large to take immediate and decisive action.
Doctors made these demands to PM Modi
1. Strict enforcement of existing laws: Doctors emphasize the need for law enforcement agencies to more strictly enforce the existing legal framework to protect health care professionals.
2. Stringent and time-bound punishment for perpetrators of sexual violence: The doctors advocate stringent and swift punishment as a deterrent against such crimes.
3. Enhanced safety measures in hospitals and medical institutions: The letter urges the government to implement improved safety protocols within healthcare facilities to ensure a safe working environment for all medical staff.
4. Enactment and implementation of a special law for the protection of healthcare workers: We urge the central and state governments to enact and enact a separate law for the protection of healthcare workers, ensuring its speedy implementation on the ground.
The letter states that a proposed bill, the “Prevention of Violence against Doctors, Medical Professionals and Medical Institutions Bill” has been drafted since 2019, but has not yet been introduced in Parliament for passage and adoption. We firmly believe that an ordinance to this effect can be brought forthwith, and the bill should be passed immediately so that all those working in the healthcare delivery systems in the country can work without fear in the service of aggrieved patients.
5. Harshest possible punishment for violence against health workers: The proposed ordinance or bill should ensure that harshest possible punishment is given to those involved in violence against health workers, be it verbal or physical. Such cases should be resolved swiftly by the judiciary, with crimes being put in the non-bailable category.
