BS RAWAT
NEW DELHI : The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underlining the urgent need to enact a Central law to check violence against doctors on duty and urged him to bring an ordinance in this regard.

The letter comes against the backdrop of 24 hours protest by the medical doctors in Assam against the deadly assault on a tea garden doctor last month.

Stating that it was not possible to provide quality treatment to the public in an atmosphere of fear and violence, the IMA requested the Prime Minister to highlight the issue in his monthly radio address to the nation -- 'Mann Ki Baat'.

The World Medical Association (WMA), has also written to Mr Modi and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan expressing concern over increasing incidents of violence against doctors on duty in India.

On the death of Dr Deben Dutta in Assam, the WMA, in an open letter, said, "The news is a matter of great concern to us, reflecting the increasing trend of violence against doctors on duty in India".

WMA stated that medical doctors are threatened and attacked, sometimes even when they provide life saving emergency care which affects them in the discharge of their duty as well as their physical and moral integrity.

"Furthermore, the proliferation of such violence tends to make these acts a common occurrence, instilling mistrust against medical doctors," the WMA said in the letter.

The World Medical Association stated that it supports doctors at risk worldwide.

Resident Doctor's Association, AIIMS, requested Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan, to implement the  'Central Protection Act'  as early as possible so that at lest now onwards no doctor across the nation will lose his/her life.

RDA-AIIMS president, Dr Amarinder Singh Malhi, said, "Violent mob attack and lynching of doctors and other healthcare professionals are increasing day by day due  to absence of law mentioning rigorous punishment to those who are found to be guilty."