Doctors staged a protest march in Madikeri recently condemning the alleged sexual assault and murder of a doctor on duty in Kolkata and demanding protection. Doctor held placards and shouted slogans.
The protest was held jointly under the aegis of the Kodagu unit of the India Medical Association and the National Medicos Association.
The protest began at the Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences and Teaching Hospital’s premises and concluded at the DC’s office.
The protestors said that doctors across the country were working with inadequate security facilities and added that the laws to protect doctors should be strengthened.
They said that even in Kodagu, doctors are living in extreme insecurity. There is almost no sense of safety. Thus, the district administration and police must provide appropriate security to doctors, medical colleges, hostels, residences and hospitals, they added.
Senior doctors demanded that those who commit heinous acts such as rape, sexual harassment, and assault on doctors should be considered as terrorists. A doctor lamented that though they work day and night to help public.Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Dr Venkat Raja received a memorandum from the IMA Kodagu chapter. Dr Shyam Appanna, the president of IMA Kodagu chapter, was present on the occasion.
The outpatient department of Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences’ teaching hospital (district hospital) operated for only a couple of hours in the morning following the protest. After that, the patients who came were referred to the Emergency Department.
