The recent horrifying event at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has exposed the serious flaws in our healthcare institutions ' security and working environment once again. It is appalling that there were insufficient security measures in place at a facility where thousands of patients and healthcare professionals work on a regular basis. Equally distressing is the fact that the victim, like many of her colleagues, had no proper space to rest.
Resident doctors often work for gruelling 36-hour shifts, as was the case here, with minimal to no breaks. The absence of designated, secure resting areas within hospitals speaks volumes about the disregard for the well-being of healthcare workers. These doctors, who are on the front lines of medical care, deserve better than to be forced to rest in unsafe, makeshift spaces.
The IMA has also demanded that hospitals be declared safe zones with the first step being mandatory security entitlements . "The security protocols of all hospitals should be no less than (that of) an airport. Declaring the hospitals as safe zones with mandatory security entitlements is the first step.
CCTVs, deployment of security personnel, and the protocols can follow," it said in the statement. It is shocking that in this day and age, hospitals still lack basic security systems such as card scanning or biometric entry controls. Implementing these systems is not a luxury but a necessity.
This is the grim reality that resident doctors face daily. There must be a thorough overhaul of the conditions under which resident doctors work. Overloading them with long, challenging hours without adequate time to rest is not only inhumane but also dangerous.
Hospitals must restructure their staffing policies to ensure that doctors are not pushed to the brink, both physically and mentally. Ensuring dignified compensation and support for the bereaved family is the very least that can be done in the wake of this tragedy. Our healthcare workers, who give so much of themselves to care for others, should not have to work in fear.
We owe it to the memory of this young doctor and to all healthcare workers who continue to serve under such challenging conditions. This is not just about retribution; it is about restoring faith in the safety and integrity of our healthcare institutions. The recent protests by healthcare professionals across the nation were a powerful response to the government's failure to provide transparency and honesty in addressing the horrific crime against one of our own.
These strikes, which have led to a nationwide withdrawal of medical services, are not actions taken lightly. As doctors, it is deeply painful for us to turn away from our duty to care for patients, yet we recognize that this sacrifice is necessary to demand the justice that has been denied. The protests will continue until the real culprits are identified, caught, and punished.
The authorities must ensure that those responsible for this heinous act are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This movement is about more than one tragic event; it is about ensuring the safety, dignity, and rights of all healthcare workers. The medical community and the public at large are watching closely, and they demand nothing less than justice for the victim and her family (Writer is secretary general, Association of International Doctors).
