Our Bureau
New York, NY
Prominent medical alumni associations in the United States and Canada have expressed solidarity with protesting doctors in India following the tragic rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata. They have written a letter to the President of India urging the establishment of a commission to review existing safety protocols in India’s healthcare system.
The safety review commission, they propose, should include representation from both the public and healthcare professionals. The doctors emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to ensure the safety and security of medical professionals, particularly women doctors.
“We are deeply concerned by the recent surge in violence and harassment against doctors in India, especially against our female colleagues. We, representing various medical and alumni associations across the US and Canada, write to you with deep concern and anguish regarding the recent deplorable crime in Kolkata where a doctor was brutally raped and murdered. This tragic incident has not only shaken the medical community, but also highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to ensure the safety and security of doctors, particularly women doctors, who are dedicated to serving the nation,” the letter said.
The doctors expressed their concern about the increasing cases of attacks targeted against medical professionals, in particular sexual violence against female members of the fraternity, causing a lot of emotional drain and physical strain for medical professionals. “This is not just an issue of personal safety but a significant impediment to the effective functioning of the health care system,” they said.
The letter demanded that severe penalties be levied against those who are threatening to derail the health care system by committing crimes against medical professionals.
“The rights of health care workers to practise without fear in a secure environment must be protected with appropriate legislation at the earliest,” the letter stated.
Along with the President, the letter has also been sent to the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Chief Justice of India, the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), the Health Minister, the National Medical Commission and the Indian Medical Association.
The prominent signatories to this letter demanding safety of doctors in India include Dr Satheesh Kathula, president, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI); Dr Hema Kapoor, president, Lady Hardinge Medical College Alumni Association of North America (LHMC); Dr Tarun Ohri, president, AIIMSONIANS of America (All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi) and many more medical alumni associations.
