Sir,

The brutal rape and murder of a lady doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has brought back the painful memory of nurse Aruna Shanbaug, who became a victim of sexual assault and failed murder attempt at KEM Hospital  in Mumbai, way back in 1973. She was in a vegetative state till May 2015, for 42 years, caringly attended by the nurses of the same hospital, till her death.

When I was a Medical Intern at K.R. Hospital in Mysuru during August 1985, my lady doctor friend and myself on night duty had to walk to the Blood Bank to arrange blood for an Emergency Operation  (as the Intercom was not working) at 1 am.

As we walked within the huge  campus, a drunk ward boy started following us talking incoherently and asking us to give him money for some more liquor!

My friend and myself increased the pace of walking, took the help of Casualty Medical Officer to immediately register an official complaint with the then Medical Superintendent Dr. P.R. Sindhe.     

Very next day in the morning, the ward boy was summoned to tender an apology for us and was kept under suspension for 3 months since a few more lady doctors  came forward to register a complaint about the same person’s habitual alcoholism that had created a fear psychosis among the doctors during night duties. The ward boy was ordered to undergo alcoholic de-addiction by Dr. Sindhe.

Now, why are circumstances so complicated, tragic, unsolvable and unfortunately repetitive?  Have the social media and the mobile connectivity aiding and enhancing  the criminal activity?

I intensely feel that doctors (irrespective of gender), nurses and the hospital staff  should be given proper security along with counselling by In-House experts, fortnightly Grievance-Redressal Unit to mitigate their psychological distress (if any) due to personal or professional problems.

The survivors of sexual assault are bound to go through prolonged PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). It is well said by Patricia Ireland that “Rape is not a Women’s issue, it is a Human Rights Issue.”

– Dr. Veena Bharathi, Bengaluru, 20.8.2024

Note: Both Dr. Sindhe and Dr. Ghosh were heading the respective hospitals. But where is the comparison? In the case of Kolkata Hospital horror, the Principal, apparently, did not act properly to avoid such tragic incidents. Compare this with immediate steps taken by Dr. Sindhe of Mysuru.—Ed