Bihar doctors demand legal protection against attacks
By IANSWednesday, December 9, 2009
PATNA - Alarmed at the increasing incidents of attacks on doctors, medicos in Bihar have approached the State Human Rights Commission to ask for legal protection in the form of a new law.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Bihar State Health Services Association have submitted a petition to the rights commission, asking it to direct the state government to legislate an act to protect doctors and medical institutions.
They said a Medical Protection Act already existed in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and other states.
“Frightened by the repeated attacks on doctors by antisocial elements, we have decided to protest, seeking security,” state IMA unit president Ramesh Prasad Singh said.
He said doctors, hospitals and private clinics were being targeted regularly by criminals but the government had failed to take any action.
“We demand that the government create a separate force to protect doctors and hospitals.”
Over the last 15 years, more than six doctors have been killed and about a dozen kidnapped for ransom.
Last week, a doctor, Upendra Kumar Singh, was attacked at Nabinagar in Aurangabad district and his clinic ransacked. No arrest has been made so far.
Doctors in the state are planning a rally on Dec 18to highlight their concerns.
