Srinagar, Sep 17: Alarmed over the increasing number of attacks on them by angry attendants in Kashmir hospitals, the medicos Wednesday demanded special legislation to ensure their safety at the workplaces. They accused the state government of failing to take substantial measures to check the recurrence of attacks on medicos.
 Presently, the resident doctors of the SMHS Hospital here are on indefinite strike in the wake of fresh attacks on them by attendants in the past few days.
 “Such strikes were also held in the past. In early 2000 and 2010, when the doctors in GMC hospitals were protesting the thrashing of a medico, the then government assured to bring a legislation on the pattern of Karnataka to check the problem. However, the assurances have fallen flat,” said Dr Sajad Majid Qazi, General Secretary of the Medical Faculty Association.
 Former GMC Principal Prof Shahida Mir said that despite several communications to the government, the issue has been put into cold storage for unknown reasons. 
 GMC sources said the police have also done some ground work to track “serial offenders” involved in thrashing of medicos. “There are some FIRs registered against some people in many police stations and the police had also zeroed in on them. They are in a habit of indulging in thrashing of medicos after provoking the attendants,” they said.
 The medicos said the security in Valley hospitals is a big failure. “They are unable to tackle the situation when attendants resort to ransacking and thrashing of medicos,” said Dr Adil, a striking medico.
 The medicos urged the Government to intervene in the matter. “The doctors at Lal Ded, SKIMS and SMHS hospitals are working round the clock in trying circumstances. But they have always been on the receiving end,” said an SMHS medico.
 When contacted Commissioner/Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, MK Dwivedi said: “We will definitely think over the safety of medicos. Since bringing an ordinance is a policy decision we must study its draft first with proper consultations.”
 Dwivedi said the government wants to be sure whether the health system really needs the legislation or not.
 On security scenario in hospitals, Dwivedi said the Principals of the Government Medical Colleges in Srinagar and Jammu, and Medical Superintendents of all allied hospital have been empowered fully to take decisions regarding the hospital security and access control.
 “If they feel the present security system is not working well they should make changes therein. They can also depute some more people to implement attendant-control mechanism strictly. The government has provided them with budgetary allocations for making such arrangements,” he said. 

Lastupdate on : Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 17 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST