Save doctors from public violence

Recently, at Nims Hyderabad, nephrology resident doctors were assaulted by attendants and relatives of a patient when a highly critical 62-year-old expired in another department. The unruly attendants also stopped the doctors from performing CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) on another patient. Just prior to that, last month a 25-year-old medico Dr Vandana Das was stabbed to death by her patient, who was accompanied by police, in a government health centre at Kerala.

Senior doctors including representatives of IMA, psychiatrists and advocates share their views on such barbaric behaviour and the urgent need for legal remedies.

Mobs are instigated

As a doctor who has worked in government and private setups, I can say that there is definitely a dearth of security personnel at work in the government hospitals. Also, it’s the lower socio-economic strata that’s involved in incidences of violence. People from the lower strata are usually less educated and they feel once a patient is brought to the hospital, in whatever condition, the doctor must save his life. Making matters worse, mobs are instigated by local politicians who are often erstwhile goons and masquerade as champions of the poor and helpless.

Another factor at play is the basic human tendency for aggression. They vent their stress and frustration on weak, non-threatening, unarmed doctors when their loved ones are at the brink of death.”

— DR Vidit Singh,

Psychiatrist at Manipal Tata Medical College

‘Man is mortal, can’t blame the doctor’

Though the longevity of an individual has increased from around 47 years in 1947 to 68 years at present, many think that a doctor is responsible for every death notwithstanding the fact that man is mortal. Suboptimal knowledge compounded by misinformation on internet and social media lead to high expectations. Inability to meet these expectations sometimes end up in blaming the medical personnel.

Failure to have stringent laws to deter the culprits is another reason for public violence. Though Act 11 of 2008 had been recognized by the Government of Andhra Pradesh in the combined state and enacted, lack of proper Standard Operating Procedure resulted in the failure of Act 11 of 2008 in AP.  Also, lopsided electronic media and social media ‘trial’ does not provide equal opportunity to present the case of the medical fraternity. Social media has done more harm than good in preventing violence.

Dedication, development of SOPs, training and time-bound implementation and enforcement of law are needed to prevent untoward incidents. People should be adequately apprised of the need for controlling emotional outbursts and awareness should be created on the avenues available for redressal of grievances. Media should proactively create awareness of consequences of taking law into one’s own hands. ‘Save the Savior’ should be the watch-word of all concerned, which will instill confidence in young doctors.”

— Dr P V Sudhakar, plastic surgeon, former principal of AMC and
ex Additional Director of Medical Education, AP.

‘Doctors Protection Act must be introduced’

Instances of doctors being attacked by irate attendants of patients are being reported all over India with sickening regularity along with damage to public property. The perpetrators deserve stringent punishment. The government must pass enactment imposing exemplary fine (ranging between '2 lakh to '10 lakh) by protection officers with magisterial powers. In case of default of fine, the accused must be remanded to judicial custody, punishment must be swift and on the same day based on prima facie report given by doctors. This is apart from the usual sections of IPC such as 325 and 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons) and 307 (attempt to murder).

— Kuppili Muralidhar,

senior advocate and president, Forum of Legal Professionals