A crisis of safety

August 19, 2024

NEW DELHI – The recent rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata have sent shockwaves across the nation. This horrific crime, which occurred within a state-run hospital, is a stark reminder of the dire state of safety in our healthcare institutions. Sadly, this is not an isolated case but part of a disturbing trend of violence and insecurity that professionals in India increasingly face. Just a few months earlier, in May 2023, the murder of a 23- year-old house surgeon at a government hospital in Kottarakkara, Kerala, further underscored this growing pattern of danger. These tragedies highlight the urgent need for stringent measures to address the alarming lack of safety in Indian healthcare settings.

The incidents at RG Kar Medical College and Kottarakkara, Kerala, are symptomatic of a broader, deeply entrenched problem of workplace safety in India. Healthcare professionals, who are at the forefront of saving lives, increasingly find themselves vulnerable to violence and harassment. According to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), over 75 per cent of doctors in India have faced some form of violence at their workplaces. These acts range from verbal abuse to physical assaults and, as recently seen, even murder. The causes of this violence are multifaceted. They include the growing frustration among patients and their relatives due to inadequacies in the public healthcare system, a lack of awar eness about the challenges faced by healthcare professionals, and the absence of adequate security measures in hospitals. Doctors face immense pressure, with long working hours, inadequate facilities, and high patient loads. When outcomes are unfavourable ~