Doctors played the role of warriors during the pandemic time. Their courage to serve the covid affected patients risking their life is commendable. But the present scenario in India is painful, the doctors who are being called as saviors of life are being threatened.
There are many out of control situations in which doctors are not responsible. If a patient loses life after all the best efforts put forth by the doctors, it’s agonizing for the doctors as well as relatives of the patients. In a few places around India, there were cases in which the relatives of the deceased blamed doctors for their loss and tried to assault doctors and the medical staff. If the patient died because of the negligence of the doctors then a proper investigation should be ordered to investigate the matter and punish the culprits. This same must be implicated in case of assaults against the doctors.
There are many laws in CrPc and IPC, which did not prevent these assaults from taking place. Because either the culprits disappear in the thin air or pay the imposed fine and are freed of charges. Neither serious action is taken against them nor there is a strong voice which condemns the violence which leads to the changes in the law.
On 4th August 2023, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor introduced a private member bill on the Protection of HealthCare Personnel. He mentions that if the bill gets passed becomes an act, he wants it to be named as “Dr Vandana Das Act “. It is a tribute to Dr Vandana Das who lost her life while performing her duties.
When saviors themselves are in the vital need of protection, then how will they save the patients?