Doctors’ bodies in Lucknow to collate data on attacks

FAIMA to collect data on attacks on doctors, push for Central Protection Act, plan nationwide strike if necessary.

The Federation of All India Medical Students’ Association (FAIMA) has decided to collect details of attacks on resident doctors and present them to the respective governments.

The decision was taken at a meeting held on Thursday (November 14, 2024) to discuss the safety of medical practitioners at the workplace.

A doctor was stabbed by a patient’s attendant in a government hospital in Chennai on Wednesday (November 14, 2024). The patient was diagnosed with cancer and was being treated for the disease for six months at the hospital.

FAIMA general secretary Divyansh Singh, who is also the president of the Resident Doctors Association of King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, said in the last 30 days there have been seven such attacks on doctors in his hospital.

“Such (assaults) have been normalised. Every day in some corner of the country such incidents happen. We decided to collect the details of all attacks and present them to our respective State governments,” Dr. Singh said.

“We want a Central Protection Act. Unlike other professions, in healthcare people tend to think of us as gods. We are not blaming the patients. Even they know that their loved one is nearing their end but they cannot come to terms with it,” he further said.

“We want to sensitise the public about the situation,” the doctor added. The association has planned to use social media platforms to spread their message.