Kovai, Jipmer doctors protest assault on medicos

The doctors, including women, belonging to the local chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association raised slogans against the attack on junior doctors at a Kolkata hospital allegedly by relatives of a patient, who died at the hospital and sought protection of the medical fraternity in the country.

Holding placards such as “zero tolerance,” they said doctors were living dangerously without any safety and would continue their protests till safety was ensured at workplace. The IMA had directed members of all its state branches to stage protests and wear black badges on Friday.

Junior doctors in West Bengal are on strike since Tuesday demanding better security at workplace after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata allegedly by relatives of a patient who died at the hospital.

Meanwhile, in Puducherry, resident doctors, medical students, para-medical students and nurses of Jipmer on Friday held a demonstration in front of the casualty in support of junior doctors of Nilratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (NSMCH) in Kolkata who were assaulted by relatives and family members of an elderly patient who died of heart attack on Monday. 

They later took out a procession and submitted a memorandum to Jipmer Director Dr Aggarwal.

Jipmer Resident Doctors Association president Dr Rohit R in the memorandum urged the Jipmer Director to set up an outpost of the D Nagar police station inside the Jipmer campus preferably in front of the emergency medical service department.

He also urged to increase the strength and quality of the security personnel deployed inside the Jipmer campus, prompt emergency deployment of skilled security personnel in case of safety crisis and enacting a central legislation for protection of doctors.