BENGALURU : Following the recent assault on a doctor at Fortis Hospital on Bannerghatta Road, the hospital staff have decided to take out a protest rally on Monday to condemn increasing incidences of violence against medical practitioners.
Healthcare workers are working under immense stress to take care of patients and save lives in the pandemic crisis, but they are also being increasingly targeted by families of patients who succumb to Covid. The Fortis incident, wherein the son of a patient assaulted a doctor and a nurse, is the most recent example.
Dr Padmakumar AV, Senior Consultant, Critical Care Medicine, Fortis Hospital, who was attacked, said that the problem needs to be addressed at the roots. He pointed out that such incidents are very rare in most developed countries and felt that it was a social problem in India. “In my over 30-year experience, I am seeing this problem increase in the past 10 to 15 years. Unfortunately, such incidents have become an occupational hazard,” he told The New Indian Express.
He added that if the doctor mentions death of a patient, the relatives find it very difficult to accept it even for a very critical and dying patient. “If a patient gets better, it is God’s miracle. But if the patient dies, it is the doctor’s fault!” he rued. “So, in my opinion, rather than anything personal, there is definitely a social angle to this issue. Until and unless we try to address the root cause, there will not be an end to the problem. I definitely condemn any kind of violence against anyone.”
Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) will organise a nationwide protest on June 18 to condemn violence against doctors. “These incidents are creating fear. Health workers are on the forefront of the pandemic battle, putting their lives at risk and working in critical areas. But still they have to face this. Despite laws to curb such crimes, they are not being implemented,” a member of IMA, Karnataka chapter, said.