Current Legislation falls short in protecting doctors against violence: IMA Maha
Pune: In a compelling move, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has fervently appealed for comprehensive legislation to counter the escalating wave of violence targeting doctors and healthcare professionals. Members of the IMA highlighted the inadequacy of existing legal provisions, citing the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons Act 2010 as insufficient in addressing the surging incidents of violence against medical practitioners.
During a press conference held on Thursday by the IMA Pune chapter, Dr. Raju Varyani, the chapter's president, asserted that the current legal framework, as exemplified by the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons Act, falls short in its punitive measures. Dr. Varyani emphasized that the prevailing law allows a mere three years of punishment for offenders, while the IMA advocates for a minimum of seven years of imprisonment and arrest under a non-bailable section.
Dr. Varyani shared alarming statistics, stating, "In the past five years, 1,318 individuals have been booked in various incidents, yet only five of them have been convicted for violence against doctors and healthcare staff in the state. Serious patients are being referred to government hospitals because of fear of violence from their relatives. It is essential to ensure that doctors are protected to avoid incidents like the ones in Thane and Nanded."
He also recalled the brutal murder of Dr. Vandana Das in a Kerala hospital on May 10, 2023. Driven by this tragic incident, the Kerala government swiftly came up with an ordinance with robust provisions, leading to the passage of a comprehensive act aimed at safeguarding doctors. IMA demanded that the Maharastra government should come up with a proper legal provision against assaults on medical professionals. " Is the Maharashtra government waiting for a similar tragedy to occur before enacting stringent legislation for the protection of doctors?" the doctor added.
Dr. Varyani further informed that Dr Rajeev Joshi, a member of IMA filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in July 2020 seeking judicial intervention to ensure the safety of the medical professionals. He stated, "On July 13, 2021, the advocate-general of the Bombay HC requested the court to give some time to decide whether the government would like to amend the act or pass a new one. However, the government has not taken any step to follow the directive."
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