Tharoor wants legislation to address violence against medical personnel

Tharoor wants legislation to address violence against medical personnel

In response to Tharoor's inquiry, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya said that the rules already in place adequately protect physicians from abuse.

Delhi, New: Shashi Tharoor, a senior Congress politician and Member of Parliament, called for a bill on Friday to protect healthcare workers and professionals from assault at work.

Speaking during Friday's Lok Sabha Question Hour, Tharoor said the Union Health Minister had previously ignored his call to pass legislation protecting medical professionals from assault while they were on the job. He also requested that the minister introduce legislation to do just that.

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He cited data on the high rates of violence experienced by physicians and the resulting stress. In addition, Tharoor called for the provision of "financial and legal assistance" to victims of such violence, citing the reported murder of a Kerala doctor who passed away while attending to a patient in the previous year.

The Health Minister denied Tharoor's private member's bill, which he claimed was for the protection of physicians, stating that "such a law cannot be made for any special protection, as it would lead to discrimination against other professions." Certain members, including chartered accountants, would be less able to seek comparable protections.

Medical professionals deal with life-and-death situations. They are saving lives while assisting patients. It is not their place to put oneself in danger for the sake of their career. I implore the government to reevaluate its position and propose legislation that will 'genuinely' safeguard physicians and other health care workers in the workplace while also offering some monetary or legal assistance to those professionals who end up as victims of violence while carrying out their jobs. at the heart of things," he said.

Dr. Vandana Das, 23, was reportedly fatally stabbed by a patient at Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital in May 2023. The murder incited indignation, particularly among medical professionals who called for severe legal punishment against individuals who harm physicians and other medical personnel.

In addition to pressing the Health Minister to "change his policy" with relation to the legislation, Tharoor emphasized that the government had obligations to experts in the field of health care.

In response to Tharoor's inquiry, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya said that the rules already in place adequately protect physicians from abuse.

According to Mandaviya, during COVID, the Health Ministry introduced regulations stating that anybody who commits violent actions against any doctor would face legal punishment under the Indian Penal Code.

According to Mandaviya, physicians are revered in this nation and their security is vital.