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Rising Violence Against Healthcare Professionals in India
Context:
On November 13, 2024, a doctor in Chennai was stabbed while on duty, following a similar attack on a young doctor in Kolkata three months ago.
More in News:
- Doctors in India are increasingly reporting violence in the workplace, with a 2017 study by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) revealing that over 75% of doctors faced workplace violence, and nearly 63% were fearful of violence while treating patients.
- Another study showed that almost 70% of doctors experienced violence at work, with many incidents going unreported.
Key Findings of the Recent Study:
Conducted by IMA Kerala State in August 2024, involving 3,885 doctors across India, this survey was the largest of its kind:
- Safety Concerns: Over 60% of the respondents were women, many of whom faced physical and verbal abuse.
- Workplace Safety:
- 11% rated their workplace as very unsafe, while 24% felt unsafe overall.
- Many doctors, especially women, reported insufficient safety measures at work.
- Security was described as either absent or inadequate.
- Night Duty Concerns:
- Less than half of doctors on night duty had access to a duty room, and only a third had an attached restroom.
- 53% of duty rooms were located far from wards or casualty areas, making doctors walk through isolated and poorly lit areas.
- Inadequate duty rooms forced some doctors to rest in patient wards, exposing them to safety risks.
- Frustration Among Young Doctors: Many young doctors expressed frustration over administrators not addressing their safety concerns.
- Violence in Emergency Rooms: Doctors reported being surrounded by crowds while attending to patients, especially during night shifts in emergency areas. This often involved drunk or disruptive individuals.
Challenges:
- Overcrowding and Understaffing: These conditions increase the likelihood of confrontations with patients or bystanders.
- Inadequate Security: Poor security measures, especially during night shifts, expose doctors to violence.
- Lack of Basic Amenities: Duty rooms, when available, are often poorly located or lack basic security features, increasing the risks faced by healthcare professionals.
- Underreporting of Violence: Social pressure and heavy workloads discourage doctors from reporting violent incidents, allowing the cycle of violence to continue.
Government Initiatives:
- Legislation: Kerala passed a hospital protection law in 2012, updated in 2023, but the problem persists, highlighting the limitations of relying solely on legislation.
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s Provisions:
- Recently the Ministry issued an order stating that in the event of any violence against a healthcare worker while on duty, the head of the institution must file an institutional FIR within six hours of the incident.
- This was introduced to address the common occurrence of violence in government hospitals, especially from patients or their attendants.
- National Medical Commission (NMC) Directive:
- The NMC instructed medical colleges to develop a policy ensuring a safe work environment for all staff members within the college and hospital premises.
- It mandated that any violence against medical students must be promptly investigated and an FIR lodged, with an action report submitted to the NMC within 48 hours of the incident.
- Training for Doctors: IMA provides communication and soft skills training to help doctors manage difficult situations and break bad news, although this cannot fully address the systemic issues.
Way Forward:
- Crowd Control and Triage: The study recommends basic measures such as crowd control and enforcing strict visitor policies to reduce violent incidents.
- Need for Action: The rising violence in healthcare settings demands urgent action from policymakers and hospital administrators to address the underlying causes, rather than waiting for further proof of the issue.
