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Every year on July 1st, India celebrates National Doctors’ Day to acknowledge and appreciate the unwavering service, dedication, and sacrifices of medical professionals. While this is a moment to express gratitude to doctors, it also provides an opportunity to reflect on a real issue: the growing threats, violence, and insecurity that doctors confront in the line of duty.
This article intends to highlight doctors’ vital role in society, review the current legal protections for their safety, and discuss the urgent need for better legal and institutional safeguards to ensure that those who heal are also protected.
Doctors are more than simply healers; they are frequently the first line of defense in pandemics, natural catastrophes, and emergencies. They serve an important role in diagnosing, treating, and managing physical and mental illnesses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, their courageous efforts became more visible, with many laboring around the clock at the expense of their own health and, in some cases, their lives.
In addition to their clinical obligations, doctors are educators, researchers, public health advocates, and policymakers. Their existence enables the proper operation of not only hospitals, but the entire healthcare ecosystem. Despite these enormous contributions, their safety remains uncertain in many situations.
In recent years, India has seen a surge in violence against doctors, ranging from verbal harassment and internet threats to physical assaults and even mob attacks on hospital grounds. The majority of occurrences are the result of dissatisfaction with treatment outcomes, delays in emergency services, or fundamental mistrust of the medical system.
This hostile climate has resulted in increasing stress, burnout, and fear among physicians. Many young medical professionals are reconsidering their careers, and in rural regions, doctors frequently decline postings owing to safety concerns. If this tendency continues, it could have a severe negative impact on the country’s healthcare quality and availability.
Recognizing the threats that doctors confront, several legal measures have been implemented over time. However, they remain dispersed and inconsistently executed. Notable among them include:
The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2020: This law, enacted during the COVID-19 epidemic, made violence against healthcare workers a cognizable and non-bailable offence, punishable by imprisonment for up to 7 years and fines.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,2023 (BNS) Sections:
Section 221 – Obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions.
Section 121 – Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from his duty.
Section 132 – Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty .
State-specific Acts: Some states, such as Maharashtra and Karnataka, have passed legislation, such as the Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, which seeks to criminalize attacks on healthcare workers and property.
Despite these rules, enforcement is an issue. Many cases go unreported; when they are disclosed, legal processes are slow and inefficient. Furthermore, these safeguards are frequently used only during crises (such as epidemics), leaving doctors susceptible during normal practice.
A key deficiency is the absence of comprehensive central legislation focusing primarily on the safety of medical workers. Without national uniformity, states respond differently, leaving doctors in many places exposed and unprotected.
India desperately requires a central law that safeguards the safety and dignity of all healthcare workers, applicable to both public and private institutions. Some significant recommendations are:
Fast-track courts for doctor-related violence cases.
Severe punishments for attackers and mandated recompense for victims.
Upgrades to hospital security include monitoring, trained guards, and panic alarm systems.
Conflict resolution training to help doctors and staff de-escalate difficult situations.
Public grievance redressal systems to resolve patient problems before they worsen.
Beyond law and order, public perception is extremely important. Misinformation and media sensationalism can contribute to public distrust and hostility toward doctors. It is critical for media outlets to report properly, and for society as a whole to rebuild faith in the doctor-patient relationship.
Parents must teach their children to respect healthcare providers. Patients and families must understand that medicine isn’t magic, and results aren’t always assured. A culture of mutual respect, empathy, and accountability must be established.
Doctors are the guardians of life, selflessly caring for our families and communities. As we commemorate Doctors’ Day 2025, it is not enough to merely express gratitude; we must also commit to preserving their safety through strong legislative safeguards, institutional reforms, and increased public awareness. A nation that celebrates its doctors must ensure their security, dignity, and peace of mind on a daily basis, not only on one day of the year.
This article is written by Adv. Abdul Mulla, a legal practitioner who is profoundly committed to healthcare and human rights activism. He continues to work with platforms such as http://www.asmlegalservices.in and http://www.lifeandlaw.in to promote awareness, justice, and legal reforms that safeguard people who serve society with devotion and compassion.
Adv. Abdul Mulla (Mob. No. 937 007 2022) is a seasoned legal professional with over 18 years of experience in advocacy, specializing in diverse areas of law, including Real Estate and Property Law, Matrimonial and Divorce Matters, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, and Will and Succession Planning. read more….
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