Page 4 - Women Doctors

Rape-murder of woman doctor: NHRC sends notice to state govt, police chief

The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the West Bengal government and the state's police chief in connection with a case of rape and murder of a woman doctor at a state-run medical college and hospital in Kolkata. The Commission on Tuesday said it has sought the reports from these authorities in two weeks. The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that the junior woman doctor was found dead at the seminar hall of Kolkata's state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, it said in a statement. "Reportedly, the body of the deceased bore scratch marks, indicating that there was some struggle at the time of the incident. The family has reportedly alleged that the victim was raped and murdered," the rights panel said. The Commission has observed that the content of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of police, W

Doctor death: Why was the case not lodged as murder, HC asks Bengal govt

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday asked why a murder case was not registered at the outset and an unnatural death case was initiated into the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here. Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam put forth the question to the West Bengal government lawyer when he claimed that an unnatural death case was registered, as there is no immediate complaint of murder. The division bench presided by the Chief Justice said the body of the postgraduate trainee was not found on the roadside, and the superintendent or the principal of the hospital could have filed the complaint. The body of the doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered inside a seminar hall of the RG Kar hospital, was found on Friday morning. A civic volunteer was arrested in this connection on Saturday. The Chief Justice also said the murder was so gruesome that the doctors and interns were justified in venting their anguish. Junior doctors and intern

Doctors' strike to continue as meeting with health ministry inconclusive

The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association on Monday announced the extension of its indefinite strike to protest the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata after their meeting with officials from the Union health ministry here failed to bring out any resolution. Resident doctors of government hospitals across the country went on an indefinite strike on Monday to protest the gruesome incident at the RG Kar Medical College, paralysing elective services including OPDs and non-emergency surgeries. The stir was in response to a call from the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA). "Despite extensive discussions with the Union (health) minister's team, no concrete resolution was reached, leading to the continuation of the strike," a statement released by FORDA here on Monday night said. FORDA President Dr Aviral Mathur said the strike will continue on Tuesday. "I, along with the association members and doctors, met with the Union health minister's team on Monda

IMA demands law to curb attacks on medical staff, wants 2019 bill revived

The Indian Medical Association has written to Union Health Minister J P Nadda seeking enactment of a special central law to curb attacks and violence against doctors as a "deterrence" measure, besides the declaration of hospitals as safe zones. The IMA made the demands, which included defined security measures, as resident doctors at government hospitals across the country held protests and strikes on Monday over the recent rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee in Kolkata, raising the issue of the safety of medical staff in the workplace. The Association said that 25 states have laws on attacks on doctors and hospitals but these are mostly ineffective on the ground and do not serve the purpose of deterrence. "The absence of a special central enactment is one of the reasons. We kindly request you to reconsider introducing the Draft Legislation "The Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of violence and damage to property) Bill, 2019, incorporating t

Cal HC to hear PIL seeking CBI probe into doctor's rape and murder case

A PIL seeking a CBI investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at Kar Medical College and Hospital will be heard by the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday. The body of the woman doctor was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital in north Kolkata on Friday. A preliminary autopsy report has indicated sexual abuse before she was killed. The petition, along with some other petitions with similar prayers, will be heard on Tuesday, a division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam directed on Monday. The petitioner's counsel prayed for transfer of investigation into the gruesome murder of the woman postgraduate trainee, who was also allegedly raped, at the state-run Kar Medical College and Hospital to the CBI from the city police. Counsel Phiroze Edulji alleged that a faulty investigation was being carried out by the police and submitted before the division bench, also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, that he will place arguments before the court

National Doctors' Day 2024: Wishes, Quotes to share with your favourite doc

National Doctors' Day is celebrated annually on July 1. The day celebrates the birth anniversary of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, an eminent physician and former Chief Minister of West Bengal

Breaking out of 'zenana' medicine

The author first gives a quick backgrounder about women doctors in other countries, who paved the way for the first women doctors from India

Women doctors earn much less than men in US

The influx of women into medicine doesn't counteract other factors at play