VISAKHAPATNAM: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced the decision to amend the Medicare Personnel (Protection against Violence) Act (11/2008).
The amendment aims to make the Act more stringent, making offences under it non-bailable as a deterrent against violence. During his visit to Visakhapatnam on Thursday, the Chief Minister held an interaction with the Junior Doctors’ Association (JUDA) at King George Hospital (KGH).
Addressing the recent rape case involving a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, Naidu expressed strong condemnation, stating, “It is an atrocious incident. I strongly condemn it. Such acts should not be accepted. Those who commit such acts must understand that it will mark the end of their lives.”
The Andhra Pradesh Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2008, was established to safeguard Medicare service personnel and protect property within healthcare institutions.
The law intends to provide protection to healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel, from acts of violence and aggression while they are performing their duties.
Naidu further announced plans to introduce a law similar to the one in Karnataka, which would impose a seven-year imprisonment for such offenses.
“The profession of healthcare professionals is very pure. Doctors dedicate years of study and personal sacrifice, and it is disheartening to see them without proper security. To protect doctors, we will amend the law in the next Assembly session,” Naidu said. He also urged doctors to resume their work and return to hospitals, emphasising that the goal is to avoid patient suffering.
“We stand by you, but I appeal to the doctors to return to their duties, as none of us want the patients to suffer,” the Chief Minister added.
Speaking to TNIE, reacting to the CM’s call, Andhra Pradesh JUDA vice president from Andhra Medical College (AMC), Dr T Pruthvi Raju, expressed, “We are happy with the CM’s assurance and call. With his assurance, we will resume all services at KGH from Friday.”