Early on Friday morning, a 31-year-old female trainee doctor, exhausted from a demanding day at one of India’s oldest hospitals, retired to a seminar hall to rest. It would be the last time she was seen alive. The following morning, her colleagues discovered her half-naked body on the podium, showing signs of severe injuries. Authorities later arrested a hospital volunteer in connection with what they believe is a case of rape and murder at Kolkata’s 138-year-old RG Kar Medical College.
Public Outcry and Reclaim the Night March
In response to this horrific event, tens of thousands of women in Kolkata and across West Bengal are expected to participate in a ‘Reclaim the Night’ march at midnight on Wednesday, demanding the right to live without fear. This march, taking place just before India’s Independence Day, highlights a growing demand for safety and freedom. Meanwhile, outraged doctors have gone on strike both in Kolkata and across India, calling for stringent federal laws to protect medical professionals.
Violence Against Medical Staff in India
This tragic incident has once again highlighted the pervasive violence against doctors and nurses in India. Reports of assaults on medical professionals, irrespective of gender, are not uncommon. However, female doctors and nurses, who make up a significant portion of the healthcare workforce in India, are particularly vulnerable.
Alarming Security Risks in State-Run Hospitals
The crime at RG Kar Medical College underscores the dire security risks that medical staff face in many of India’s state-run hospitals. The hospital, which caters to over 3,500 patients daily, lacks adequate facilities for trainee doctors, some of whom work up to 36-hour shifts without designated rest areas. Reports indicate that the suspect, a volunteer worker with a troubled past, had unrestricted access to the hospital and was captured on CCTV. Police allege that no background checks were conducted on the volunteer.
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Fear and Insecurity Among Female Doctors
Madhuparna Nandi, a junior doctor at Kolkata’s National Medical College, reflects on how this incident has shaken the sense of security among female doctors. Dr. Nandi, who is a resident in gynecology and obstetrics, describes the lack of basic amenities like designated restrooms for female doctors. She recounts an incident during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic when men barged into her room and touched her while demanding to see a patient, leaving her deeply shaken.
A History of Violence in Indian Hospitals
Unfortunately, the incident on Friday is not isolated. The most notorious case remains that of Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse who was left in a vegetative state after being raped and strangled by a ward attendant in 1973. More recently, in 2023, Vandana Das, a 23-year-old medical intern, was fatally stabbed by a drunken patient in Kerala. These incidents, among others, highlight the ongoing threat to medical professionals in overcrowded government hospitals.
Unsafe Working Conditions
Doctors, particularly female doctors, often face unsafe working conditions in government hospitals. Dr. Namrata Mitra, a pathologist from Kolkata, recalls feeling so unsafe during her on-call duties that she had her father, also a doctor, accompany her to work. She also described incidents of harassment while working at a public health center and later during an emergency shift at a government hospital.
Lack of Security Measures and Legal Protections
India lacks a strong federal law to protect healthcare workers, and while some states have enacted laws to prevent violence against them, convictions are rare. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) reports that 75% of doctors in India have faced some form of violence at work. Despite recommendations from the federal government to improve security in sensitive hospitals, including deploying trained security forces and installing CCTV cameras, little progress has been made.
A Grim Outlook for the Future
The ongoing protests by doctors across India reflect a deep sense of frustration and hopelessness. Dr. Mitra, like many others, believes that despite the outcry, nothing will change. The expectation will remain that doctors must work around the clock and endure abuse as part of their job, a disheartening reality for many in the medical profession.