The latest incident at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences has sent spanner to the medical fraternity. The professionals are in the state of shock and continue to feel vulnerable in the absence of Medical Protection Act (MPA) in the State.
“The medical officers and staff of RIMS hospital are being attacked regularly and doctors are working under constant fear. Such incidents cannot be tolerated in near future. Doctors have social commitment and they too work hard for quick recovery their patients. We need a safe environment to work,” said Junior Doctor Association member Dr Tarun Kumar.
RIMS hospital was roughed up following the death of a 35-year-old Brajesh Gop of Khunti district who was admitted at Dr Ramesh Prasad’s ward for suffering with severe stomach ache and gastric problem on Saturday. The relatives of the patient alleged medical negligence as cause of the death. They manhandled the junior staffs. A staff nurse who tried to stop them was slapped and shoved aside. Following this, the doctors stage protest and threatened to go on indefinite strike unless strong measures regarding safety and security of the doctors are ensured.
The matter settled down on Sunday when member of Junior Doctors Association met with RIMS Director SK Choudhary. After seeking the assurance of getting security within the hospital premises they called off their strike. “After much hue and cry the association has agreed to resume their services. But the question of security and safety of the doctors remain in question. Without implementation of Medical Protection Act we cannot be safe. The need of the hour is to bring the act as soon as possible,”added Choudhary.
Nevertheless, ample of such incidents involving irate relatives of patients going on rampage in different hospitals have been observed in past couple of months. Doctors have been demanding for stricter and early implementation of Medical Protection Act in the state which aimed at protecting the doctors against harassment at the hands of patients’ kin. Under the act, the security to the medicos will be provided by way of imposing Rs50,000 fine and three year of imprisonment on the unruly relatives who manhandle the doctors and ruin property.
“Such attacks are not new. It has become a common phenomenon. Security at the medical college hospital and in other institutions is very low. Few days back, I have heard a group of persons beating up an orthopedic trainee doctor at Seva Sadan. It seems that due to political interference the law has not been come into force,” added Indian Medical Association (IMA) Jharkhand Secretary Dr Shekhar Choudhary.
Incidentally, absence of law has drawn compulsion for the administration. City SP Anup Birtharey said, “What can we do without an ActIJ We bring the relatives to police stations, write a complaint and release them.”
However, following a series of attacks on medicos, an ordinance was passed by Governor Syed Ahmed during President’s Rule in May last year. The ordinance is yet to be enacted into a law. Notably, the Medical Protection Act committee, headed by Dr Bharati Kashyap had also met with State law and Health secretaries for pressing the demand of immediate implementation of the act.
State Health Secretary BK Tripathy said, “The draft bill with necessary modification had already been sent to the Cabinet. It is expected to get passed in the upcoming Assembly session.”