Tharoor demands legislation for protection of healthcare professionals

Indian National Congress (INC) Member of Parliament (MP) Shashi Tharoor put forward a demand for legislation for the safety of healthcare professionals in their workplace. Tharoor highlighted the need for financial and legal support for workers in this domain.  “Doctors are working on life and death matters. They are working with patients, they are saving lives. Risking their own should not be part of their profession. I urge the government to reconsider this stand and kindly introduce legislation that will ‘actually’ protect doctors and other healthcare professionals in the workplace and at the same time, produce some financial or legal support to the professionals who become victims of violence while performing their duties at the central level,” Tharoor said. 

He drew a reference to the unfortunate death of a doctor while on duty in Kerala in 2023. Vandana Das was stabbed to death by an alcohol addict experiencing withdrawal paranoia. 

Union health and family welfare minister Manshukh Mandaviya was however not supportive of this proposal. “Such legislation could not be created for any particular protection, as it would cause members of other professions, such as chartered accountants, to demand similar provisions. Existing laws have sufficient provisions to protect doctors from violence,” he said.