New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and listed a series of demands after the sexual assault and death of a female trainee PG doctor at Bengal's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The IMA has demanded a Central Act incorporating the amendments of 2020 in the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 into the draft "The Healthcare Services Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property Bill 2019). The IMA said that this would strengthen the existing 25-state legislation. The IMA further demanded that the hospitals should be declared safe zones with security entitlements as the first step. "The security protocols of all hospitals should be no less than 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. "The 36 hours of duty shift that the victim was in and the lack of safe spaces to rest and adequate restrooms warrant a thorough overhaul of the working and living conditions of the resident doctors," the IMA added. It also demanded a meticulous and professional investigation of the crime in a time frame and rendering of justice. "Appropriate and dignified compensation to the bereaved family commensurate with the cruelty inflicted," it said. "We appreciate your remarks about the safety of women in your Independence Day address. We appeal to you for your benign intervention at this stage. This will give confidence to not only women doctors but also to every woman in workplace. 60 per cent of Indian doctors are women. This percentage is as high as 68 per cent in the Dental profession, 75 per cent in Physiotherapy and 85 per cent in Nursing. All Healthcare professionals deserve a peaceful ambience, safety and security at the workplace. We are appealing for your benign intervention to ensure appropriate measures to meet our demands," the IMA said. A nationwide withdrawal of services has been announced by doctors of modern medicine starting from 6 am on Saturday, August 17 to 6 am Sunday, August 18. On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered on duty at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, which has led to nationwide strikes and protests by the medical fraternity.
