Urgent Need for a Central Protection Act for Doctors in India: Addressing Healthcare Worker Safety

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• Current status
• Situation around the world
• Demands of doctors
• Steps taken by the Centre

Why in News?

• Resident doctors across India are on strike, demanding laws to ensure their safety after the rape and murder of a young doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata on August 9. 
• The protests began after her body was found in the hospital's emergency building, with doctors criticizing the hospital and State government for attempting to downplay the incident. They highlight the lack of a Central law to protect healthcare workers.

Current status

• Legal provisions
  • As per constitutional provisions, health and law and order are State subjects.
  • Hence, it is the primary responsibility of the State government or Union Territory administration to take note of events and eventualities, and do what is necessary to prevent violence.
  • It should be noted that, the details of the number of fatalities of medical professionals due to attacks by families of patients are not maintained centrally.
• Violence against healthcare workers at the workplace is not new in India
  • In 1973, Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug working as a junior nurse at King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, was sexually assaulted by a hospital sweeper. 
  • She died in 2015 after spending over 41 years in a vegetative state following the attack.
• Need for a safe work environment
  • Experts have pointed out that medical colleges often have ill-lit corridors, poorly secured wards, and long distances between departments. 
  • There is an urgent need to improve working and living conditions by ensuring proper lighting, security guards, cameras, and manned walk-throughs between departments, operation theatres, and emergency areas. 
  • These simple measures could make a real difference.

Situation around the world

• Violence against healthcare workers is a global issue, but several countries have implemented effective measures to protect their medical professionals. 
• The U.K.’s NHS enforces a zero-tolerance policy on violence, supported by a dedicated security team and a comprehensive reporting system. 
• In the U.S., some States classify assaults on healthcare workers as felonies, acting as a strong deterrent. 
• Australian hospitals have introduced safety measures like security personnel, panic buttons, and mandatory de-escalation training.
• India must urgently introduce a Central protection Act and adopt similar measures to take stringent actions to ensure a safer environment for its healthcare workers.

Demands of doctors

• The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has urged the Union government to recognize and address violence against doctors at healthcare centers. 
• In its list of demands, the IMA calls for hospital security protocols similar to those at airports, declaring healthcare centers as safe zones with mandatory security measures like CCTVs and security personnel. 
• The IMA highlighted the poor working conditions of doctors, noting that the victim was on a 36-hour shift with no safe place to rest. 
• It also emphasized the need for a thorough investigation of the crime, justice for the victim, identification and punishment of those responsible for vandalism, and appropriate compensation for the victim's family.

Steps taken by the Centre

• Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued an order requiring the head of an institution to file an FIR within six hours in the event of any violence against healthcare workers on duty. 
• This order responds to the increasing violence against doctors and healthcare staff in government hospitals, often perpetrated by patients or their attendants. 
• Additionally, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has directed all medical colleges to develop policies ensuring a safe work environment for staff. 
• The NMC also mandated that incidents of violence against medical students be promptly investigated, with an FIR filed and a detailed report sent to the NMC within 48 hours.

Q.1. What is National Medical Commission (NMC)?

The National Medical Commission (NMC) is India's regulatory body for medical education and practice, replacing the Medical Council of India (MCI) in 2020. NMC oversees medical colleges, sets standards for medical education, and ensures the quality of healthcare services, aiming to enhance transparency, accountability, and the overall efficiency of medical regulation.

Q.2. What is Indian Medical Association (IMA)?

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is a national organization representing doctors in India, established in 1928. It advocates for the rights of medical professionals, promotes medical education, and works to improve public health standards. IMA also addresses issues like healthcare policies, ethical practices, and violence against doctors.

Source: Do doctors need a Central protection Act?