Taking serious note of the attack on a resident doctor at Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH), Nagpur, a joint delegation of the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), Central MARD and the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) met newly appointed Dean of IGGMCH Dr Avinash Gawande on Thursday and demanded strict action against those responsible. It was regarding an incident wherein relatives of a patient allegedly beaten doctors.

 

The doctors claimed that they were treating a serious patient so they could not attend the patient whose relatives got angry. MARD approached police and a case was registered against the accused. Surprisingly the FIR was filed against doctors too. The doctors alleged that one of the relatives of the patient is into police force leading it to quick police action. During the meeting, the delegation expressed serious concern over the incident and asserted that violence against resident doctors and other healthcare professionals cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. It stressed the need to fix responsibility and initiate appropriate action against the accused. The representatives also urged the college administration to intervene immediately and strengthen security arrangements to ensure that resident doctors can perform their duties without fear.

 

They called for concrete preventive measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated. The delegation maintained that the safety and dignity of resident doctors must receive the highest priority in every medical institution. An attack on a doctor at the workplace is not merely an individual issue but a serious concern affecting the safety of the entire medical fraternity. The meeting witnessed a constructive discussion on issues concerning the safety of resident doctors. The representatives reiterated that MARD, Central MARD and FAIMA would stand firmly with the affected doctor and continue their efforts to protect the rights, dignity and workplace safety of resident doctors. The delegation comprised Dr Ashutosh Ade, General Secretary, MARD GMCH Nagpur and Central MARD, and National Executive Member, FAIMA; Dr Ashish Madake, Vice-President, MARD GMC Nagpur and Central MARD; Dr Siddhesh Gaikwad, Additional General Secretary; Dr Vaibhav Raut, Treasurer; and Dr Pundalik Maske, Chief Coordinator, MARD GMCH Nagpur.