By D. W. G. Kalani Tharanga, JadeTimes News
In the early hours of Friday, a 31 year old female trainee doctor sought rest in a seminar hall after an exhausting day at one of India’s oldest hospitals, the 138 year old RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. Tragically, this was the last time she was seen alive. The following morning, her colleagues discovered her partially unclothed body on the podium, bearing severe injuries. The police have arrested a hospital volunteer worker in connection with what they believe to be a brutal case of rape and murder.
This horrific incident has sparked outrage across Kolkata and West Bengal, leading tens of thousands of women to plan a 'Reclaim the Night' march on Wednesday at midnight, just before India’s Independence Day. The march aims to demand the right to live in freedom and without fear. Additionally, doctors across India have gone on strike, calling for stricter federal laws to protect medical professionals, especially women who face heightened risks.
Security Gaps in Overworked and Understaffed Hospitals
The shocking crime has once again drawn attention to the alarming security lapses in India’s state run hospitals, where doctors, nurses, and medical staff often work in unsafe conditions. RG Kar Medical College, which serves over 3,500 patients daily, is emblematic of these issues. Overworked trainee doctors, some of whom endure shifts of up to 36 hours, are forced to find rest wherever they can often in inadequate and unsecured spaces. The suspect in this case, a volunteer worker with a troubled history, had unrestricted access to hospital areas and was caught on CCTV, highlighting the absence of proper background checks and security protocols.
Dr. Madhuparna Nandi, a junior doctor at Kolkata’s National Medical College, echoed the fears of many female medical professionals. “The hospital has always been our first home; we only go home to rest. We never imagined it could be this unsafe,” she said, reflecting on the pervasive insecurity that female doctors face. At her hospital, there are no designated restrooms or toilets for female doctors, forcing them to use patient or nurse facilities. Dr. Nandi recounted an incident during the peak of the COVID 19 pandemic when she was harassed by men who barged into her room, further illustrating the daily dangers faced by women in this profession.
A History of Violence Against Medical Professionals
The incident at RG Kar Medical College is not an isolated case but part of a broader pattern of violence against doctors and nurses in India, particularly women who comprise nearly 30% of the country’s doctors and 80% of the nursing staff. The most infamous case dates back to 1973 when Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse at a Mumbai hospital, was left in a vegetative state after being raped by a ward attendant. More recently, in Kerala, 23 year old medical intern Vandana Das was fatally stabbed by a drunken patient.
The lack of stringent federal laws to protect healthcare workers exacerbates the problem. While 25 states have enacted laws against violence toward medical staff, convictions are rare, and security in hospitals remains minimal. Dr. RV Asokan, president of the Indian Medical Association, noted that 75% of doctors in India have experienced some form of workplace violence, yet little has been done to address this crisis. Even with protests and calls for reform, many doctors, including Dr. Namrata Mitra and Dr. Saraswati Datta Bodhak, remain skeptical that any meaningful changes will be implemented.
The situation underscores a critical need for stronger protections and a reassessment of hospital security measures to ensure the safety of those who dedicate their lives to saving others. Without these changes, the expectation that doctors must endure abuse as a norm will continue to cast a shadow over the medical profession in India.
