BENGALURU: As nationwide protests by resident doctors continue following the rape and murder of a PG student at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the resident doctors have raised multiple concerns including the lack of doctors’ duty rooms (DDRs), particularly for women. The doctors also pointed out that many government medical colleges and hospitals have ‘red spots’—areas without adequate lighting and surveillance, that remain unaddressed and need urgent attention.
The medical community reported that many cases of violence against them go unreported, largely due to the lack of a robust legal framework. The protesting doctors called out for the implementation of a ‘central healthcare protection act’ — a proposed law aimed at protecting healthcare professionals from violence and harassment. The medical community argued that the act has been under discussion since 2018 but has yet to move beyond the discussion stage.
When TNIE contacted doctors, they raised several concerns. A female resident doctor, who wished to remain anonymous, reported that many wards lack dedicated DDRs. She mentioned that “Although some departments do have DDRs, these are often shared between male and female doctors. When a DDR is available, it must be shared.” She also noted that DDRs often lack proper locks, leading to instances where patient families enter these spaces, as there is no security system outside.
Further highlighting safety concerns, another doctor from NIMHANS pointed out that the institute campus has a public road that runs through it. “This main road links Hosur Road and Lakkasandra, and goes through NIMHANS main road. On one side of the road, are the Outpatient Department (OPDs) and hostel, while the Indoor Patient Department (IPD), Emergency, and Neurosurgery departments are on the other side of the road,” a doctor, who is also the member of Resident Doctors Association (RDA) NIMHANS, said and argued that the absence of a tracking system for individuals entering the campus is a concern.
Many doctors reported experiencing attacks from relatives or caretakers of patients, but they mentioned that they often choose not to report these incidents and instead try to understand the stress and situation of the individuals involved. However, they noted the incidents often go unreported because of a lack of legal support and from the institution’s side. They highlighted and emphasised the need for stricter surveillance within the hospital premises.