Karnataka Medical Council warns doctors against spread of communal disharmony, issues circular

Bengaluru: Referring to the instances of doctors allegedly participating in the spreading of communal disharmony, the Karnataka Medical Council has warned the doctors in the State that such instances will be dealt in accordance with law.

Issuing a circular in this regard, the State medical council has reiterated the importance of following the code of medical ethics for the doctors and directed them to ensure that they do not be a part of any such issues pertaining to communal disharmony.

"It is brought to the notice of Karnataka Medical Council that the doctors are actively participating in the spreading of communal disharmony through Social Media. It is needless to say that the participation of the doctors in the issues of communal disharmony clearly amounts to professional misconduct for the reason that a doctor is supposed to treat the patient irrespective of his/her caste/religion," read the KMC circular issued by KMC Registrar Dr.Shamrao B. Patil.

"It is accentuated that the doctors are supposed to work in such a way that there should not be even a petite scope for violation of either medical ethics or professional conduct," added the circular issued on April 26.

Further warning the doctors about legal action, KMC mentioned in the circular, "Hence, all the medical practitioners working in the State of Karnataka are hereby informed that they shall not be part of any issues pertaining to communal disharmony and in case it is brought to the notice of KMC regarding the violation of the medical ethics or professional misconduct in this regard, such medical practitioners will be dealt in accordance with law."

Although the circular has been primarily addressed to the Director/Principal/Dean of all the medical colleges and Deemed Universities in Karnataka, a copy of the circular has also been sent to the State Director of Health and Family Welfare, the Directorate of Medical Education, Karnataka, and Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS).

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