New Delhi, August 18: In a powerful appeal, over 70 Padma Awardee doctors have addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing grave concern over recent violence against healthcare workers at R G Kar Medical College in Kolkata. They are calling for immediate and decisive intervention to tackle this alarming trend and ensure the protection of medical professionals.
Padma Awardee Doctors Seek PM Modi’s Intervention on Rising Violence in Healthcare pic.twitter.com/SnNlVXmqmj
— THE TIME PRESS (@thetimepress_) August 18, 2024
The doctors demand the swift implementation of a dedicated law to address both physical and verbal abuse against healthcare workers. Their letter underscores the urgent need for stronger measures, including:
1.Stricter Law Enforcement: Reinforcing the application of existing laws to safeguard healthcare professionals.
2.Harsher Penalties: Implementing severe and prompt punishments for perpetrators of sexual violence.
3.Enhanced Safety Measures: Upgrading security protocols in medical institutions to protect staff.
4.Special Protection Law: Enacting “The Prevention of Violence Against Doctors, Medical Professionals, and Medical Institutions Bill” without delay, which has been pending since 2019.
5.Severe Judicial Actions: Ensuring the harshest penalties for violence against healthcare workers, with offenses categorized as non-bailable and resolved swiftly.
The doctors stress that such violence must not become normalized, and they urge prompt legislative and judicial action to uphold the safety and dignity of the medical community. This appeal, they say, should serve as a catalyst for meaningful change, honoring the memory of victims and ensuring a safe environment for all healthcare professionals.
