30% to 40% docs face violence, need strict laws for safety: IMA

MUMBAI : We have decided to take the issue of violence against doctors seriously and will constantly remind the authorities to act for the safety of doctors.

DR JAYESH LELE, president, IMA

As many as 30% to 40% Indian doctors have faced violence during their work, members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said on Friday. The IMA is the largest body of medical practitioners in the country. The association has asked the Central and state governments to declare hospitals as ‘safe zones’ and to ensure a strong legislation against those who resort to violence against medical practitioners as a resolution to the issue.

Dr Jayesh Lele, the president of IMA, on the occasion of an international conclave on Zero Tolerance Against Violence Against Doctors and Health Establishment, said incidents of violence are reported on a daily basis in India, with 55%-60% resident doctors being at the receiving end. “The core issue is lack of a strong legal deterrent. There isn’t a single conviction in any of the cases of violence against doctors till date. As a result, doctors and their families feel threated all the time,” said Lele. He added that there must be a campaign to make people aware of the fact that there could be unforeseen circumstances that could be beyond a doctor’s control. Against the backdrop of repeated incidences of violence against doctors, the IMA officials said the fraternity is functioning under immense stress, losing hope for security and is scared to speak up, owing to the fear of being intimidated. In a recent case of violence, a mob had vandalised the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College in Nagpur on February 5, after a patient’s death.