Rising Violence Against Medicos in times of Coronavirus: IMA issues White Alert, find nurses support
New Delhi: With no end to this horrific menace of violence against doctors, while they are at the frontline and putting in every possible effort in this national response against COVID-19; the Indian Medical Association has once again moved the Central Government asking it to enact central law for the protection of doctors.
Calling for an immediate end to violence and abuse against doctors and medical professionals across the country, the IMA declared that doctors and medical professionals across the country will light a candle at 9 pm on April 22 as protest and vigil against this evil of assault.
The IMA termed it as 'White Alert' to the nation. It said that doctors across the country will work with black badges on April 23 and declare it as 'Black Day' if the government fails to enact central law on violence against doctors and hospitals.
Earlier, the IMA had written to Home Minister Amit Shah demanding to bring a central legislation to strictly deal with such issues.
Medical Dialogues has repeatedly reported about the issue, with the doctors constantly demanding that there be one common law on the issue of violence against healthcare workers. Last year, the health ministry had also drafted a bill on the matter. The Health Services Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019, which seeks to punish people who assault on-duty doctors and other healthcare professionals by imposing a jail term of up to 10 years was dismissed by the Home Ministry during an inter-ministerial consultation over the draft law.
The association also took to twitter making an official announcement about the alert:
#IMA demands Special Central Law Against Violence on Doctor's & Declares White Alert to the nation on 22.04.2020 & Black Day on 23.04.2020. pic.twitter.com/inFOSiJusI
— Indian Medical Association (@IMAIndiaOrg) April 20, 2020
Meanwhile, showing solidarity to the White Alert, the Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI) has issued a statement declaring its support and asking for central law for the protection of health care workers.
"Many incidents arised in the country so far, still a concrete action against these attacks are not initiated by Central government. Health care work force are the frontline warriors in the fight against corona virus and are to be saluted like the army on a war front. But demotivating atrocities like what happened in Chennai during the cremation of doctors mortal remains and incidents in which nurses were asked to vacate the rented facilities and such other incidents will affect their morale in rendering the care," TNAI stated
"In many states, the nurses and the doctors are not properly secured against the violence from the public and were subjected to attack by the local people. Many of the health workers on the community for screening the cases were reported to be blocked or attacked and still it's going on and the last one was reported from Tamil Nadu, were the cremation of the health care worker is obstructed. IMA National office has requested TNAI support for the White Alert declared by IMA on 22/04/2020 and TNAI National office has decided to support the movement, the statement read.
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