‘Doctors’ security is key, no place for fear at AIIMS’

Nagpur: At the AIIMS Foundation Day, Rajya Sabha member Dr Ajit Gopchade highlighted a pressing issue faced by doctors across the country — the need for stricter protection laws. "As a representative of the medical community, I was advocating a central law aimed at safeguarding doctors from violence," said Dr Gopchade. He specifically appealed to minister Jadhav to take swift action in this regard, emphasizing the importance of stronger legal frameworks for their safety. Recalling the tragic Kolkata doctor murder incident, he stressed that capital punishment should be given to rapists to prevent such heinous crimes.Dr Vikas Mahatme, president of AIIMS Nagpur, echoed a different concern in his address, focusing on the importance of setting the highest standards within the institution. "Fear should have no place at AIIMS — whether among doctors, patients, students, seniors, or juniors," he said while pointing out incidents of ragging, often fuelled by insecurity, were unacceptable in an institution like AIIMS and should be eliminated entirely.As Dr Gopchade has been elected as member of AIIMS executive committee, he said he was planning to meet the students more often and speak with them. Dr Mahatme also called for quarterly meetings of the AIIMS executive committee to deal with students' issues.