'I had argued...bring in a bill to specifically protect medical professionals'

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed his sympathy and solidarity with the medical community after the recent rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and questioned the Centres consciousness to bring in a bill to specifically protect medical professionalsTharoor recalled a debate he had with former Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya where he pushed for a bill to safeguard medical professionals However the government responded that granting protection to one profession would set a precedent for othersI have sympathy and solidarity with the doctors For a couple of years at least I have been speaking in Parliament about the issue of violence against doctors I got into a bit of a debate with the then Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya I had argued that the government should bring in a bill to specifically protect medical professionals in the course of their duties said Tharoor on Sunday while speaking to ANIThe government gave me a very odd reply that if they start doing it for one profession theyd have to do it for others It is a ridiculous argumentI am shocked and saddened that despite all these efforts to raise public consciousness and the governments consciousness about this one more doctor has had to lose her life he addedShashi Tharoor in August 2023 sought legislation to protect doctors and healthcare workers from violence at the workplace He also demanded that victims of such violence be provided financial and legal support and mentioned a doctor in Kerala killed while doing her dutyToday I introduced The Healthcare Personnel and Healthcare Institutions Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property Bill 2023 in the LokSabha On May 10 2023 Dr Vandana Das a young doctor driven by a commitment to serve humanity tragically lost her life at the hands of a patient she was caring for in the emergency room While recognising that nothing would bring back their only child I had pledged to her parents that her death would not be in vain She is not alone It is currently estimated that 75 per cent of doctors face physical ampverbal abuse during their service No doctor should have to fear for their safety while fulfilling their duty Tharoor posted on X in August last yearAs promised I have thus moved a private members bill in Parliament to protect medical personnel It makes acts of violence against healthcare personnel including paramedical students ampworkers administrative staff amp ASHA workers a cognisable and nonbailable offence It requires speedy investigation and sentencing within a specified time frame amp the establishment of designated special courts in every district If passed my Bill should be known as the Vandana Das Act in honour of the brave young medical martyr he addedMeanwhile the West Bengal Governors office on Sunday alerted medical colleges in the State to beef up security and ensure that women doctors and paramedics are provided with adequate protectionToday Raj Bhavan contacted Medical Colleges in the State and alerted them to beef up security and ensure that women doctors and paramedics are provided adequate protection Raj Bhavan Media Cell said in a post on XEarlier in the day the CBI team investigating the case conducted 3D laser mapping of the emergency ward at RG Kar Medical College and HospitalThe Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the case A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will hear the case on August 20This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever