IMA Survey- 35% Women Doctors Afraid of Night Shift: Said- I carry a knife; Troubled by some bad touches

After the rape-murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) conducted an online survey. About 35% of female doctors who participated in it admitted that they do not feel safe in night shift. A doctor also reported that she always carried a folding knife and pepper spray in her handbag because the duty room was on a dark and deserted corridor. Some doctors complained of misconduct in the emergency room. A doctor said he had to deal with bad touch many times in crowded emergency rooms. Doctors from 22 states participated in the survey. The survey was organized by the Research Cell of the Kerala State Unit. Its chairman Dr. Rajiv Jayadevan said that doctors from about 22 states participated in the survey. The online survey was sent to government and private doctors across India through a Google Form. Received 3,885 reactions within 24 hours. The survey revealed that 45% doctors do not get a duty room during night shift. There were some duty rooms which were often crowded. There was no place for privacy. There were no locks on the doors. Because of which the doctors had to find another room to rest at night. Some duty rooms did not even have attached bathrooms. What came out in the survey Dr. Jayadevan said that the findings of the survey so far include increasing the number of security personnel, installing CCTV cameras, implementing the Central Security Act (CPA), limiting the number of visitors, alarm systems to enhance security. Includes safe and secure duty room with locks. The Supreme Court constituted a National Task Force on August 20. The Kolkata rape-murder case was heard in the Supreme Court. Chief Justice (CJI) DY Chandrachud said – We cannot wait for one more rape to fix the system. The court has constituted a 14-member national task force for the protection of medical professionals, including 9 doctors and 5 central government officials. The task force will recommend measures to improve the safety, working conditions and safety of medical professionals.

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