Scarce safety: Government hospitals fail to protect female doctors

Joya Saikia

(The writer can be reached at joyasaikia1990@gmail.com)

In 1973, a shocking crime unfolded at Mumbai’s KEM Hospital when 25-year-old nurse Aruna Shanbaug was brutally attacked—raped and strangled with a metal dog chain—leaving her in a persistent vegetative state for 43 years. Now, decades later, a similar tragedy has struck: a 31-year-old resident doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College was raped and murdered. Both incidents, occurring within the confines of hospital grounds, highlight a grim reality: the apparent failure of secure environments to protect female medical professionals. This raises a crucial and distressing question: has the state, once again, failed these women and society at large?

The recent murder of a doctor in Kolkata has ignited nationwide outrage, with junior doctors staging protests that have paralyzed medical services in their demand for justice. A “civic volunteer” has been apprehended, but there is increasing concern that others were complicit in this heinous act. Disturbingly, evidence suggests that the attacker might have been a frequent visitor to the hospital, possibly having interacted with the victim before. The post-mortem report further reveals that the injuries inflicted were not merely the result of sexual assault but also indicative of a deeply personal vendetta.

In India, instances of extreme violence, particularly sexual assaults, are disturbingly frequent. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data from 2022, there are on average 90 reported rapes each day. Yet, this figure is likely an underestimation, as many victims do not report these crimes due to societal stigmas. Some unofficial estimates suggest that more than 100 rapes occur daily, with an alarming 80% categorized as especially brutal. Despite the pervasive nature of these attacks, both societal and governmental responses have been inadequate in addressing the fundamental issues driving such violence.

The brutal assault on Aruna Shanbaug in 1973 foreshadowed the ongoing crisis of violence against women. After being brutally raped and abandoned by a ward boy, Aruna spent 43 years in a coma, under the devoted care of her colleagues. Despite the gravity of her suffering, her attacker served only a seven-year prison sentence. While Aruna’s case garnered significant media attention over the years, it failed to spark meaningful reforms to enhance the safety of female medical staff. Today, institutions like RG Kar Medical College still lack essential security measures, leaving women vulnerable to similar horrific acts. Even with the widespread public outrage that followed Aruna Shanbaug’s case and the recent protests in Kolkata, state-run hospitals have largely failed to introduce sufficient safety measures.

The reliance on “civic volunteers” instead of professional security staff has been a persistent issue in government hospitals. These volunteers typically receive low wages and often seek additional income through informal channels. Their political connections frequently provide them with a shield from disciplinary consequences, exacerbating the problem.

Year after year, critical safety issues in hospitals—such as malfunctioning CCTV cameras, inadequate lighting, and insufficient security personnel—are reported but rarely resolved. These shortcomings have heightened the risk for doctors, particularly women, making them more susceptible to violent attacks. Although the 2012 gang rape of a young woman in Delhi spurred promises of reform, many of these commitments remain unmet. The Nirbhaya Fund, established to enhance women’s safety following the tragedy, has seen minimal utilization, with less than half of its allocated funds spent between 2013 and 2022. This stark disparity between intentions and actual outcomes continues to leave women vulnerable and unprotected.

The enforcement of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act of 2013 has been lackluster. Women in the medical field face significant risks, not just from sexual assault but also from threats and violence perpetrated by patients, hospital staff, colleagues, and even senior faculty members. In numerous government hospitals, security measures are virtually non-existent in certain areas, leaving female medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, vulnerable to harm from anyone with ill intentions.

The government urgently needs to enforce stringent security protocols in medical facilities nationwide. Mere promises are not enough; concrete actions are required. Hospitals must prioritize safe accommodations for female doctors, and there is an immediate need for legislation to safeguard medical professionals from violence. In May 2023, the Supreme Court of India rebuked the authorities for their inadequate efforts in ensuring a safe working environment for women. These lapses are more than just administrative errors—they represent a serious threat to the safety and well-being of women in the medical field.

The recent incident in Kolkata, a city that ironically topped the NCRB’s list of the safest in India for 2024, reveals a disturbing gap between official statistics and the harsh reality. The tragic deaths of women such as Aruna Shanbaug and the young doctor in Kolkata highlight the ongoing need for significant improvements in women’s safety across India. These cases should not only provoke temporary outrage but should also serve as a catalyst for urgent and systemic reform.