The torture, rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at a government hospital in Kolkatta has “shocked the conscience of the nation” as aptly described by the Supreme Court. The doctor was on night duty when she suffered this tragic fate. She was resting in the seminar hall of the hospital at the time when a civic volunteer who has since been arrested gained an easy entry to her. This has triggered widespread public outrage and protests by doctors who demand security at the hospitals, especially during night shifts. The case has since become heavily politicized. The Supreme Court has taken suo moto cognizance of the tragedy. The court has ordered the setting up of a National Task Force to recommend safety protocols for healthcare professionals at workplaces. The task force, which would include top doctors and government officials, will look into the situation and file an interim report in three weeks and a final report in two months. Importantly, the court has highlighted the problems facing medical institutions, including a lack of resting rooms and toilets, functional CCTV cameras, security personnel and screening for arms at entrances. It is these problems that made it easy for the accused to reach the victim and murder her at the Kolkata hospital.
The chilling crime should be a wake-up call for the administration in Kashmir. The healthcare institutions in the Valley are plagued by similar problems, and may be worse in some aspects than their counterparts in West Bengal and in the other parts of the country. Last week, doctors in Srinagar and Jammu, also staged protests against the brutal assault on the woman doctor in Kolkatta. They also stressed on the urgent need for the government to devise a comprehensive security plan for the hospitals in the union territory in the wake of this incident. More so, for the female staff. It is no secret that the hospitals in the UT lack adequate security measures which can deter such incidents. In the recent past, even the AYUSH hospitals in the Valley have started night duty for their doctors including the female doctors. This despite the fact that these hospitals lack not just the security but also the infrastructure to hande admitted patients. More so, during the night when patients could develop serious complications. The women doctors are particularly vulnerable in the absence of credible security and the inadequate supporting staff. The situation may be slightly better at allopathic institutions but it is far from being ideal. It is time that the government intervenes in the matter and ensures that the doctors get all the required facilities during night shifts including security. Special care needs to be taken to make the night shift of the women doctors comfortable and, more importantly, safe.
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