Jail those who attack doctors: Indian Medical Association

Hyderabad: A special ordinance to protect doctors and clinical establishments and jail those who attack them is being demanded by the Indian Medical Association on the lines of the ones presently operational in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The IMA wants the same across all states of India to stop attacks on doctors. The Clinical and Medical Establishments Act 2008 was implemented in united Andhra Pradesh and it has led to more than 300 arrests in cases of violence against doctors. Dr T. Narsinga Reddy, IMA president for Telangana says the act has helped to bring down violence against doctors and medical establishments in the state.

“Due to this reason, four other states have adopted the act. The IMA now wants the Central government to adopt the act so that doctors in all states can be protected,” he said. The IMA has been creating awareness about the issue and has also started a poster campaign with the police that warns that attacks on doctors can lead to arrest and jail. Dr K. K. Aggarwal, IMA president, says that though the Act is in force, there are still problems.

“The police arrest the culprits but when it comes to legal follow-up, often these people contact the doctors and ask for mercy. Doctors often forgive them and opt for out-of-court settlement. But we want to set precedents so that people learn that they must not attack doctors and hospitals and that will happen only when the punishment like jail is followed in the right spirit. We have asked our doctors to follow cases till its rightful end.” Senior IMA doctors in TS say legal expenses and time constraints are reasons for doctors preferring out-of-court settlements. But in serious cases, hospitals have followed it up till the very end.