Karnataka doctors' body seeks state legal cell to fight cases against assault on doctors

With cases of assault on doctors by patients' kin on the rise, Karnataka Association Of Resident Doctors (KARD) on Thursday, wrote to CM BS Yediyurappa seeking a 'state-level legal cell' fight the legal issues in such matters. Citing that 12 cases of assault against doctors in the past 8-10 months, KARD sought the govt to set up a legal cell to follow through with FIRs filed against the attackers. The doctors' body pointed out that two eminent doctors - Dy CM Ashwathnarayan and Dr K Sudhakar were part of the CM's cabinet.

Karnataka doctors' body seek legal cell

KARD also stated that the rise in assault cases on frontline workers was a threat to their 'right to safety' urging to form the legal cell within 3 weeks, the doctors' body attached details and video footages of the registered assault cases on doctors. This request comes after Indian Medical Association (IMA)'s demand for the declaration of a  'protective zone' within the hospital to safeguard healthcare workers.

Assam doctor assaulted

On Monday,  Dr Seuj Kumar Senapati a junior doctor in Assam's Udali Model Hospital was brutally attacked by patients' kin following the death of a patient suffering from COVID & pneumonia.  According to the sources the patient was suffering from COVID and pneumonia as his condition was critical, he also had urine retention. The patient already expired when the doctors arrived for catheterization. After the patient's death, his kin assaulted the hospital staff. While the attending doctor manages to escape, a junior doctor and nurse were brutally assaulted. Three accused have been arrested in the case, 22 people identified, as tweeted by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.

In response, the IMA demanded immediate strict action against the culprits in the incident. It further stated that India needs a comprehensive, uniform & effective law against healthcare violence and requested to approve an effective & strong act against healthcare violence. "The medical profession being different from the rest of the professions, it becomes necessary to have a strong action against violence specifically for the healthcare professionals and workers," argued the IMA. 

Centre has already amended The Epidemic Diseases Act to protect healthcare service personnel and property, including their living/working premises against violence during epidemics. The law passed by Parliament has a five-year jail term for those attacking doctors and healthcare workers amid COVID-19 pandemic. The healthcare service personnel include public and clinical healthcare service providers such as doctors, nurses, paramedical workers and community health workers.