IMA reiterates demand for law to protect docs

◗ IMA said that the Government of India must propose a strong Central Act prohibiting violence against doctors in all forms, hues, shades

Reiterating its demand for a stringent Central law to curb the increasing incidence of violence against doctors, the Indian Medical Association ( IMA) on Wednesday said that the Government of India must propose a strong Central Act prohibiting violence against doctors in all forms, hues, shades, matching with the enabling existing provisions in the Indian Penal Code.

“Though 17 states have brought out laws against the violence on doctors and hospitals, there is a wide disparity and very little scope of implementation amongst the state legislations due to the absence of a Central law,” said a statement by IMA.

To curb down the incidences of violence against doctors and hospitals, the IMA will conduct a national level seminar on “Doctor Patient Relationship and Violence on Doctors” on May 26 in the national capital. The seminar will be inaugurated by lieutenantgovernor Anil Baijal. More than 300 doctors from all over India are expected to participate in the event.

“The problem reaching a serious dimension. Of late even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned the atrocities. The seminar will also incorporate sensitising all the stakeholders to have empathy towards the medical fraternity and healthcare establishments. With the changing milieu, there is an urgent need to create a protocol for improving the doctorpatient relationship,” said Dr Vinay Aggarwal, former national president of IMA.

“Reiterating the demand for Central legislation against such violent practices, IMA realises that more has to be done on the issue than just to legislate it,” he added.

“The government of India must propose a strong Central act prohibiting violence against doctors in all forms, hues, shades, matching with the enabling existing provisions in the Indian Penal Code, so as to evoke uniformity across the states in respect of its implementation and thereby extend much needed and desired immunity to the doctors while on duty from all forms of violence from any and all sources as they be and declare clinical establishments as safe zones in a real sense,” said Dr R. N. Tandon, secretary general, IMA.