NEW DELHI: The Central government has once again reiterated that it would not be enacting a separate legislation for prohibiting violence against doctors and healthcare professionals, in an RTI reply.The government’s clear stand on the proposed law it had drafted in 2019 and then scrapped has come at a time when doctors and various medical associations, including the Indian Medical Association (IMA), have launched a nationwide campaign for a separate Central protection law that protects them from violence.Kerala-based activist and opthalmologist KV Babu, in an RTI, sought status of the draft legislation and information on copies of all the communications between the health and home ministries and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) regarding the Bill or amended Bill between September 2, 2019, and August 17, 2024, and also ‘file notings.’In its reply, received on Friday, the Union Health Ministry said, “A draft ‘The Healthcare Services Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019’ was prepared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and circulated for consultations. After that, it was decided not to enact a separate legislation for prohibiting violence against doctors and other healthcare professionals.”The ministry also said the second and third information he sought was “exempted under the provisions of Section 8 (1) (a) of the RTI Act, 2005.”Babu, who had sought the same information thrice before, said, “A Central act for the protection of healthcare workers is a long-standing demand of the medical profession. This clearly shows the intention of the government that they are still not considering it even after nationwide protests by doctors.”Speaking to this paper, IMA national president Dr RV Asokan said that the government’s stand does not discourage them and that they will continue their struggle for a Central law.He said they have submitted their justification for the law with the National Task Force, set up following the Supreme Court ruling, and plan to file an interlocutory application in the SC in the coming week.
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