Vishav Bharti
Chandigarh, October 20
What hundreds of protests and strikes could not achieve in past several decades, a lone doctor’s satyagrah forced the government to fulfil a long-pending demand of safety and security in government hospitals.
In the past, due to frequent attacks in government hospitals, the doctors associations had been demanding safe working atmosphere and security, but the successive governments remained unmoved.
Instructions to police
All DSPs/SHOs to have proper liaison with Senior Medical Officers or Medical Officers concerned
Security staff of hospitals to be briefed properly
Any intimation from hospitals or any other institutions to be dealt with immediately
Round-the-clock security of hospital areas
Effective patrolling at night around the hospitals
However, when a local AAP leader misbehaved with Medical Officer Dr Rajesh Kumar at Dhakoli (Zirakpur) hospital on October 13, it became a “do or die battle” for him.
He chose the Gandhian way of protest and sat on an indefinite fast on October 17. The local authorities tried to persuade him and police pressurised him to end the fast, but the doctor refused to succumb. Even the woman who had misbehaved with him offered an apology.
“It was not about her or me. It was about the safety of doctors,” he says. He accepted her apology, but continued with his protest.
Then the health authorities tried to pressurise him on moral grounds and local Civil Surgeon asked him to not hurt himself. “If you come again, I will be forced to take a vow of silence,” he told them. The demand was clear: Develop a system where doctors can work in a safe atmosphere.
With passing of each day, support for the protesting doctor started increasing.
As Dr Kumar’s fast entered the third day, it started taking shape of a statewide movement. It made the authorities jittery and finally the top police brass intervened. Now, the ADGP (Law amp; Order) has asked all the district chiefs to ensure fool-proof security arrangements at all government hospitals/institutions.
