Indian Medical Association condemns attacks on doctors in JNU violence

Violence against doctors and nurses (who were rushing to help injured students) in the aftermath of the mob attack at Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on Monday, has been termed as a ‘barometer of anarchy’ by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

On Sunday night, a team of doctors, nurses and medical volunteers who reached JNU to give first-aid to the injured students and teachers were attacked by goons, said Harjit Singh Bhatti, President of Progressive Medicos and Scientists. Bhatti is also the ex-President of the Resident Doctors’ Association at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. “The mob manhandled doctors and nurses and threatened them. Our ambulance’s glass and windows were broken,” Bhatti said.

IMA, in a statement said, “The situation in the country smacks of total anarchy, and the breakdown of law and order is complete. If doctors and nurses are not safe in the Capital of the country, it speaks volumes about the governance and lack of it.”

On the fateful night when doctors at the AIIMS trauma centre were busy treating injured students trickling in from the campus, Bhatti said a few goons managed to get inside the emergency unit of the trauma centre. “They were constantly staring at the patients, while the doctors were treating them, and were making everyone uncomfortable,” Bhatti said. All the injured have been discharged now.

The Association of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare’s (ADEH) Core Committee Member and former President of the Punjab Medical Council, Gurinder Grewal said, “Such attacks on healthcare workers is an unprecendented violation of the Geneva Convention and is a violation of basic human values. More problematic is the reported inaction by the Delhi police, who were present at this ghastly scene.”

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