andemic in India attacked a group of doctors who were trying to save another patient. The doctors were accused of not providing proper care, and the angry family members beat them up. This is just one example of the violence that has been directed at doctors and healthcare workers in India during the pandemic.Dr. Seud Kumar Senapati was one of the victims of such attacks. On his second day at work at a COVID care center in Assam, he was asked to review a patient who had been admitted that morning. When he found the patient insensitive and informed the family that the patient had died, all hell broke loose. The family members started throwing chairs, breaking windows, and abusing staff. Dr. Senapati ran for cover, but more people joined the family and found him. A group of men kicked and hit him with a bed, and then dragged him outside to continue the beating. The attack was captured on video and shared on social media, causing outrage.
Despite protests and strikes by doctors demanding stricter laws and better infrastructure, attacks on healthcare workers continue. Hospitals are poorly prepared, and when Dr. Senapati was being attacked, nobody came to his rescue because the remaining staff was also beaten or hidden. A solitary guard was helpless against the mob. When incidents do lead to police complaints or investigations, the defendant is often released on bail, and the case is resolved outside of the court.
The Indian Covid doctors are demanding action to protect them from such attacks, which have occurred with alarming regularity not only during the pandemic but also before it. Women in rural India are hesitating to take Covid vaccines, and there is a shortage of doctors in many areas, making healthcare even more vulnerable. The state government has promised swift action against the attackers, but doctors fear that without stricter laws and better protection, they will continue to be at risk.
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