Mangaluru: A deeply disturbing incident at Government Hospital, Puttur has once again exposed the vulnerability of doctors and the crumbling of protections meant for frontline healthcare workers.
Dr. Asha Putturaya, Chief Medical Officer and Ophthalmologist, faced verbal abuse and intimidation inside the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) simply for enforcing essential hospital protocols. Shockingly, the very system meant to protect doctors now stands accused of inaction.
An attack on every doctor
This was no minor altercation. It was a direct attack on the dignity, authority, and safety of a senior government doctor — a woman serving selflessly in a challenging public health setup.
IMA Mangaluru in a strongly worded statement said:
“This incident is not just about one doctor. Every doctor, every hospital worker who stands for discipline, care, and patient safety is under threat when such acts go unchecked.”
AMC Mangalore echoed these sentiments, noting with alarm that if a Senior Gazetted Officer can be threatened inside a government hospital, “what safety can a junior doctor or nurse hope for?”
Laws ignored, justice delayed
Despite the seriousness of the complaint, major lapses followed:
-
No invocation of the Karnataka Prohibition of Violence Against Medicare Service Personnel and Damage to Property in Medicare Service Institutions Act, 2009 — even though the law clearly mandates cognizable and non-bailable charges for violence against healthcare workers.
-
No arrests made to date, with the accused still at large.
IMA Mangaluru warned:
“When law enforcement hesitates to protect those who save lives, it signals open season on doctors. The message to miscreants becomes clear — intimidate, assault, and walk free.”
A worrying pattern
The associations recalled that the Hospital Violence Act, amended in 2024 after nationwide outrage over rising attacks, was supposed to serve as a strong deterrent. Yet, without action, these laws become mere words on paper.
AMC Mangalore pointed out:
“Special laws were enacted to make hospitals safe spaces for patients and staff. If even these laws are not enforced, we are staring at a dangerous future for healthcare in Karnataka.”
Warning of potential consequences, the association added that the 2024 Kolkata assault on a woman doctor — a tragedy that shook the nation — could well repeat if current apathy continues.
Demand for immediate and visible action
IMA Mangaluru and AMC Mangalore have demanded:
-
Immediate application of the Hospital Violence Act and non-bailable charges against the accused.
-
Swift arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
-
Institutional and police assurances for the safety of doctors and medical staff.
Anything less, they said, would not just be a betrayal of one doctor — but of every doctor in the system.
A call to protect those who protect us
The medical fraternity emphasized that the safety of doctors is not a privilege but a necessity.
“If doctors cannot work without fear, patients will suffer first. Inaction today will cost lives tomorrow,” warned IMA Mangaluru.
“Protecting doctors is protecting healthcare itself.”
They called upon the state government, the health ministry, and law enforcement agencies to act urgently and decisively, sending a clear message that violence against healthcare workers will invite swift and severe consequences.
A decisive moment for Karnataka
The next few days, they said, will be a litmus test of whether Karnataka truly stands with its doctors or leaves them to fend for themselves in an increasingly hostile environment.
If justice is denied, it is not just doctors who will pay the price — it is every citizen who depends on them for care, hope, and healing.