Doctors in Bengal have agreed to meet CM Mamata Banerjee to resolve the impasse. 12 demands of junior doctors to end strike
NEW DELHI: The IMA is protesting the recent assault on doctors in West Bengal.The announcement came a day after Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan asked states to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence.
IMA demanded a comprehensive central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff, and in hospitals.Security measures and the determinants leading to violence should also be addressed, it said in a statement.
The IMA said all non-essential services, including outdoor patient department (OPD) services, will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said.
Doctors at AIIMS in the national capital, who had earlier decided to stay away, joined the protests after a junior doctor was assaulted at its trauma centre earlier today.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court today said it will hear on June 18 a plea seeking safety and security of doctors in government hospitals across the country.
Harsh Vardhan, along with a letter to all chief ministers, also attached a copy of the Draft Act provided by the IMA –the Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss of Property) Act, 2017.
In its statement, the IMA said effective implementation of the central law has to be ensured by incorporating suitable clauses.Hospitals should be declared as “safe zones”.
Structured safety measures, including a three-layer security, CCTV cameras and restriction of entry of visitors should be well defined and enforced uniformly across the country in all sectors, it said.
The situation in West Bengal is still grave and fear of violence is present in all medical colleges and major hospitals, the IMA claimed.
The draft of The Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss of Property) Act, 2017, circulated to the states, includes clauses on penalty and recovery in case of loss/damage to property.
The 12 demands of junior doctors to end strike are:
1. Mamata Banerjee’s urgent intervention regarding withdrawal of statement at SSKM hospital on June 13, 2019 followed by detailed press release.
2. Documentary evidence collected by Police against the criminals involved in the incident of violence against health care personnels.
3.Documentary evidence of judicial enquiry against the inactivity of police.
4. Withdrawal of false cases against doctors over West Bengal.
5. Written implementation of security for doctors.
6. Improvement in infrastructure of hospitals.
7. Patient family will need to pay for any destruction by them.
8. Restriction of patient relatives to be implemented.
9. Rapid action team to be formed for any violence in hospitals.
10. Government must compensate an assault of any health care personnel.
11. FIR to be lodged if any kind of physical assault, threats or verbal abuses are made against any health care personnel.
12. Meeting must be held within seven days in all district medical colleges regarding improvement in infrastructure.
