IMA raises voice against assault on doctors

IMA raises voice against assault on doctors

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Nov 29, 2011: Mangalore’s medical community organized a massive, but peaceful protest march from Light House Hill Road to the DC’s office today against the recent assaults on doctors and paramedical staff as well as destruction of hospital property.

Delivering the protest address, Dr. Shantharam Shetty, the senior orthopedic surgeon, said that all doctors try their best to cure diseases and no doctor wants to see his/her patient die. However, even doctors cannot prevent death in certain extreme cases and relatives of the deceased should understand this fact, he said.

 

He also stated that the peaceful protest march organized by the medical community is not meant to display its strength, but to enhance public awareness on the conditions in which doctors perform their duties.

Dr. Mohandas Bhandary, the central council member of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), said that lakhs of patients have been cured of their diseases in Mangalore, which has the reputation of being a medical hub. Stating that doctors are interested in establishing healthy relationship with their patients, he said that attacks on doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff and destruction of hospital property should be condemned.

He urged the public to approach the consumer forum if they feel that the doctors are really guilty of medical negligence, but not to take extreme steps against doctors and hospitals. He also urged the state government to take strict action against those who assault medical staff, to impose a fine of Rs. 50,000 on them, sentence them to 3 years judicial custody, and impose fines two times the value of the hospital property destroyed.

The local chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) organized this protest. Doctors and healthcare personnel from a number of medical colleges, hospitals, and clinics participated in this march. The purpose was to create public awareness regarding the issue among the people, the police department, and the district administration. According to police sources, around 2000 people participated in this protest.

Later the IMA submitted a memorandum to the DC.

Although Out Patient Departments (OPDs) were closed, doctors attended in-patients and emergency cases.