Dr KK Aggarwal
National President IMA
Violence against doctors is
occurring with increasing frequency in India. Enactment of a stringent central
act against violence making violence against doctors a non-bailable offense
punishable with up to 14 years imprisonment on the lines of abatement of a
murder is one of our major demands. This was also a recommendation of the inter-ministerial
committee formed more than two years back, which is yet to be implemented.
The perpetrators of such
violent attacks against doctors are not only relatives/friends of the patients,
but unfortunately VVIPs too, such as MPs, who are representatives of people and
therefore also representatives of their concerns and problems in the
Parliament.
Earlier this year, Mr Anant
Kumar Hegde, a member of parliament from Karnataka allegedly assaulted hospital
staff including doctors at a private hospital in Sirsi, Karnataka over an
alleged delay in treating his mother. This incident was caught in the CCTV, on
the basis of which, the Sirsi police registered a suo motu case against the MP.
But, neither the CCTV footage has not been put on FIR record nor have statements
of doctors have been recorded. The local Sirsi Association of Medical
Consultants at Sirsi also filed a complaint in the local court asking for a
fair and free trial and requested the court to direct the police to record the
evidences.
In his speech on the occasion
of the centenary celebrations of Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat in June this year,
the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had addressed the issue of violence
against doctors. “If a patient dies due to an unsuccessful operation, relatives
burn down hospitals and beat up doctors. An accident is an accident. When
people die or are injured in accidents, a group of people come together and
burn vehicles,” he said (Indian Express, June 30, 2017).
He had also taken a clear
stand against violence, when he had said, “No person in this nation has the
right to take the law in his or her own hands in this country.”
The Indian Medical Association
(IMA) is not against accountability and also holds the view that no one can be
allowed to take law in their hands.
But, in an unfortunate and
disturbing turn of events, instead of taking any action against him or
conducting a fair inquiry into the incident, Mr Anant Kumar Hegde has been
‘rewarded’ with a position in the Union cabinet in the recent cabinet reshuffle
on Sunday.
Vedas teach us to seek
forgiveness. The medical fraternity was hopeful that after taking over as a
minister, Mr Anant Kumar Hegde would first apologize for his misdeeds to the
medical profession. But there has been no sign of repentance.
Appointing a tainted person as
the Minister of State in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
has sent a wrong message to the society. Is indulging in violence and not
apologising the ‘new skill’ to be taught to entrepreneurs?
In an open letter to the Prime
Minister, IMA has appealed for his intervention in this regard – to make
appropriate revision in his decision and also to expedite and get the incident
investigated in a fair manner.
Becoming a doctor is not easy.
Years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice make a doctor. And, no doctor
practices medicine to intentionally harm a patient.
Inducting Mr Anant Kumar Hegde
in the Cabinet is disheartening. It has also distressed us all.
‘Rewarding’ his conduct, will
only ‘encourage’ others to follow suit.
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