Safety of medical warriors should be priority

Photo for representational purpose. Picture Courtesy/iStock

The Mira-Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) Crime Branch arrested a person from Kolkata for allegedly attacking and robbing a doctor at her Bhayandar clinic last month. A report here stated that the doctor has received 30 stitches on her head and is recuperating at a private facility.

The accused, R S Khan, posed as a patient and met the doctor on that pretext. Then he attacked her, taking cash and gold ornaments. The accused fled to several places in India before being arrested in Kolkata. Though this man is a history sheeter this could have been a one-off crime too.

It illustrates how vulnerable private practitioners may be. Usually, private clinics have open doors, that is anybody can claim an illness and walk in to a doctor's clinic. They do not have the security that hospital facilities have. Patients have to wait in a line and are given direct access to the doctor. Fees are paid either to the doctor or an attendant outside and the patient leaves. Criminals in the guise of patients are certainly a very worrying prospect. This is because there are certain constraints here. Practitioners cannot ‘secure' their clinic. It is impossible to discern or differentiate a bonafide patient and an imposter with evil intent.

Our medical professionals have given us sterling and stirring service during the outbreak. Their sacrifices have been huge, some tragically paying the ultimate price, as we continue our battle against the virus.

It is commendable that the accused has been caught in this case. Maybe doctors can contemplate an alarm system that they can ring in case of trouble, and surveillance cameras just outside the establishment at the door will be helpful as well. Safety for our medical warriors in any and all capacity should be a priority.