Kolkata rape-murder: Doctors associations allege sabotage, demand protection law

Hyderabad: Protesting the brutal sexual assault and murder of the woman resident doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, medicos across the country have taken to the streets, which has led to disruption in elective surgeries and outpatient services in several States.

The relatives of the victim and doctors’ associations have accused the West Bengal government of attempting to cover up the crime. Reports of protesting doctors being beaten up by goons on the hospital campus on August 14 night have also emerged, pointing at attempts to silence the protests.

Meanwhile, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued an advisory to all medical colleges and institutions to ensure safety at the workplace. While the circular has been criticised as an eyewash, the opaque and undemocratic functioning of the council is highlighted at this juncture.

West Bengal government accused of cover-up

After the resident doctor’s death came to light in the early hours of August 9, the medical fraternity and the general public were shell-shocked. With the autopsy report confirming the rape, voices from different quarters raised concerns over the safety of doctors, particularly women in medical institutions.

Amid the incident sparking outrage, reports have come out about the West Bengal government and the hospital administration trying to cover up the incident as a suicide.

Dr Subarna Gowswami, additional general secretary of All India Federation of Government Doctors Association (AIFGDA) said, “We were informed that the principal of the college informed her parents that the resident doctor has committed suicide. The hospital administration constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the HOD of the psychiatry department to ensure a report where it said the doctor had psychiatric issues which led to her suicide.”

The family members of the victim also accused the hospital administration of making attempts to cover up the incident.

Attack on protesting doctors

In another major incident, the protesting doctors were allegedly attacked by goons on the night of August 14.

“Not only doctors, but a large number of women and men are holding protests seeking justice for the victim. They were holding ‘reclaim the night’ protests everywhere. Unfortunately, some goons attached to the Trinamool Congress attacked the silently protesting doctors and students. The police were mute spectators when the democratic protests and the site were vandalized,” Dr Subarna Goswami said.

Dr Goswami also claimed that the principal of the RK Kar Medical College and Hospital is personally close to Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister.

The lack of safety measures in medical institutions has apparently led to the murder, once again projecting the need for ensuring safety in the women-dominated medical sector.

IMA welcomes CBI enquiry, demands central protection act

With the fear of the inquiry being sabotaged by the State and the hospital administration, the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI enquiry. The court also expressed displeasure over the enquiry so far.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has welcomed the CBI enquiry, besides stressing more stringent measures to ensure safety at the workplace.

Dr Anilkumar J Nayak, the secretary general of the IMA, said, “We demand the government to declare the hospitals as safe zones and ensure legal remedy to trespassers. The doctors should ensure safety since they are serving the poor without any time restrictions.”

Even though several State governments have enacted laws to protect doctors and hospitals from violence, the IMA has demanded central legislation for the same. Similar demands have been put forth by various associations.

NMC circular on safety measures

The NMC, after the barbaric incident, has shot off a letter to the medical institutions and colleges to ensure safety in the workplace. The advisory has requested the institutions to ensure safety at OPDs, wards, casualty, hostels, and other open areas and residential quarters.

However, the doctors’ associations have accused the NMC of carrying out eyewash activities, by just issuing circulars and not ensuring the implementation of the recommendations.

“The NMC has the habit of issuing a circular one day and withdrawing the circular in a couple of days. They are facing this situation since there is no meaningful discussion with the stakeholders. There is a lack of democracy and transparency in the functioning of the NMC leading to critical situations in medical institutions across the country,” Dr Kiran Madhala, national coordinator of AIFGDA.

The penalty system is unacceptable

The penalty system followed by the NMC, for granting approval to institutions and permitting additional intake in existing institutions is termed as the root cause for several pressing issues.

“The NMC should delay the approval or restrict the intake in institutions if the infrastructure facilities are incomplete. Instead, granting approval on payment of penalty is a practice which cannot be accepted,” Dr Kiran Madhala added.

The lack of discussion with the stakeholders is leading to an advisory from the NMC which remains only on paper. The recent circular urges the institutions to send a detailed report on incidences of violence within 48 hours.

“This is impractical to implement for any institution for a detailed enquiry requires more time. This simply shows the lack of application of mind by the top people in the NMC,” Dr Kiran Madhala said.

Redressal mechanism remains elusive

Even after several incidents of attacks on doctors in private and public medical institutions, the associations point out to the lack of an effective redressal mechanism.

“After so many incidents of violence against doctors, healthcare workers and hospitals, there is no mechanism devised to approach the NMC individually to raise the concerns,” Dr Kiran Madhala added.

Dr GR Raveendranath, general secretary of the Doctors Association for Social Equality (DASE) in Tamil Nadu said, “There should be a centralised grievance redressal system, while the union and respective State governments should ensure such systems are in place in every medical institution.”

The lack of security personnel, CCTVs, sufficient workforce, duty rooms, and street lights between hospitals and hostels are highlighted by multiple doctors’ associations.

“Medical colleges and hospitals work round the clock and require additional security measures to ensure the safety of the healthcare workers, who are largely women. It is the duty of the governments and apex body to ensure this to avoid untoward incidents,” Dr Raveendranath said.

Public anger turning against government doctors

The reason behind the attack on public health institutions is less debated. A large number of socially backward people rely on public healthcare for reasons including affordability.

“It may not be possible to save all the patients since some private organisations send patients who are really sick to government medical colleges. With privatisation and commercialisation increasing in the medical industry, the anger of the common people turns towards government doctors on many occasions,” Dr Raveendranath said.