The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Do not treat doctors like criminals: IMA

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 27, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Do not treat doctors like criminals: IMA

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MARCH 26. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has strongly opposed any moves by the police to arrest doctors on the basis of FIRs lodged by relatives of patients who had died during treatment.

"We are against punishment without trial and humiliation of doctors on the basis of unverified claims," the IMA national president, Sudipto Roy, said while addressing the press on Saturday. He was in Hyderabad to attend a roundtable meet on affordability and accessibility of health services organised by the IMA.

Excuse for violence

Dr. Roy pointed out that it was impossible to identify whether the doctor was responsible for the death of a patient without proper investigation by knowledgeable persons. "The law should take its course in dealing with negligent doctors, but every unfortunate death should not become an excuse for assault and violence against doctors and clinics," he added.

"Why should doctors be arrested when there is no danger of their running away from an established practice," Dr. Roy questioned. He gave the example of Kerala where action is taken only on the recommendation of an expert committee appointed by the Superintendent of Police to investigate whether a particular case of death during medical treatment was caused by negligence. He demanded implementation of the Act passed by the State Assembly in March 2002 to regulate private nursing homes and hospitals as this would help standardise procedures in private clinics and keep quacks under check.

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