After the rape and murder of a female doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College, the issue of safety of doctors is gaining momentum. The doctors who have come out of the hospitals and taken to the streets are not only demanding justice for their female colleagues and punishment for the culprits, but are also demanding the implementation of the Doctors’ Protection Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha in the year 2022. After the increasing violence and cases of heinous violence against doctors in the last few days, the doctors have also demanded from Union Health Minister JP Nadda to implement the Central Protection Bill as soon as possible. After all, what is there in this bill, let’s know about it and how will it provide security to the doctors?
The Prevention of Violence Against Healthcare Professionals and Clinical Establishment Bill 2022 provides protection not only to doctors but also to other professionals associated with the medical field. This bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in 2022. This is known as the Central Protection Act.
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These people will get protection under the Act
According to this Act, healthcare professionals, including registered medical practitioners, mental health professionals, dentists, dental hygienists, registered dental mechanics, registered nurses, midwives, occupational therapists, speech therapists, radiologists, pharmacists, paramedical staff, medical nursing students, social workers working in hospitals, transplant coordinators, Arogya Mitras and people who talk to the families of patients regarding treatment facilities will come under the ambit of protection under this Act.
What kind of violence is punished?
Under this Act, if any person or group of persons causes any harm to the people protected under this Act, prevents them from doing their work, damages any medical equipment or property or tarnishes the reputation of a healthcare professional, then it will be called violence. Apart from this, any kind of violence which is done on the basis of caste, gender, religion, language or place of birth will be actionable under this Act.
What will be the punishment for the culprit?
According to this Act, if any violence is done with any healthcare professional, then it will be a non-bailable offence and it will be heard in the court of Judicial Magistrate. Whoever does or tries to do such an act, under this Act, he can be sentenced to a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 5 years in jail. Apart from this, a fine of at least 5 thousand rupees to a maximum of 5 lakh rupees can be imposed.
If a medical practitioner is seriously injured in this violence, then under section 320 of the Indian Penal Code 1860, the guilty will be punished with a minimum sentence of 3 years which can be extended to a maximum of 10 years and a fine of at least Rs 2 lakh which can be extended to a maximum of 10 years.
Deputy SP will investigate
It is clearly written in this Act that if a case is registered under this Act, then no police officer below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police will investigate that case.
The agitation over the bill turned violent
Let us tell you that the doctors who have been on strike for the last 5 days are going to observe a nationwide bandh on August 17 as well. The Indian Medical Council has also called upon government and private doctors across the country to shut down OPD, elective services, OT etc. from 6 am on August 17 to 6 am on August 18. They have reached the Nirman Bhawan in Delhi and are adamant on the demand to implement this Act as soon as possible.
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Tags: Doctors strike, Health News, Trending news
FIRST PUBLISHED : August 16, 2024, 19:33 IST
