New Delhi, Aug 21: The IMA has written to Union Health Minister J P Nadda, highlighting the urgent need for bringing a central law to deal with attacks on medics and healthcare establishments, and pointing out that a special exigency exists in relation to violence on doctors and hospitals.
The association demanded that a draft bill of 2019 that incorporated the amendment clauses of the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2020 and the Code Grey Protocol of the Kerala government — “Prevention Management of Violence against Healthcare Workers” — be proclaimed as an ordinance to instill confidence in the minds of doctors.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) held consultations with its state presidents and secretaries as well as with resident doctors' associations on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The doctors' body expressed gratitude to Nadda for receiving its delegation on August 13 regarding the issue of a central law on violence on doctors and hospitals, safety and security at the workplaces of healthcare personnel and the working and living conditions of resident doctors.
The IMA also thanked him for accepting the suggestions, following which the National Medical Commission (NMC) issued an advisory on security measures as a pre-condition for giving recognition to new medical colleges.
The NMC advisory was released an hour after the meeting between the IMA delegation and Nadda.
It mentioned that the IMA had called for withdrawing the services of the medical fraternity, except casualties and emergencies, across India on August 17 and that the withdrawal of services was near total in almost all the districts of the country.
It mentioned that the Supreme Court has intervened in the rape-and-murder case of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College and Hospital and formed a National Task Force (NTF) in this regard.
The court's intervention has entrusted the NTF with the action required for the safety and security of healthcare professional, including doctors, the working and living conditions of resident doctors as also matters relating to the alleged crime at the Kolkata hospital.
“The issue of promulgating an ordinance for the Central Act for protection of healthcare professionals remains to be addressed. The IMA is keen on a Central Act in this regard,” the letter said.
