By Priyanka Deshpande
CNBC-TV18.com
Published August 30, 2024
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) conducted a survey highlighting the working condition of doctors in India. The survey respondents came from various states, with 85% being under the age of 35. Additionally, 61% were either interns or postgraduate trainees. Women made up 63% of the respondents, reflecting the gender ratio observed in certain MBBS courses. Below are some of the survey's key findings:
Doctors across the country, particularly women, report feeling unsafe during night shifts.
SAFETY CONCERNS
Nearly one-third of doctors reported feeling unsafe (24.1% unsafe and 11.4% very unsafe) during night shifts, with women being more affected.
45% of doctors didn’t have access to a duty room during night shifts, increasing feelings of insecurity.
DUTY ROOMS
Doctors with access to duty rooms reported a greater sense of safety during their shifts.
Many duty rooms were overcrowded, lacked privacy, or had no locks, forcing doctors to find alternative places to rest.
One-third of duty rooms lacked an attached bathroom, adding to the challenges faced by doctors.
BASIC AMENITIES
There is substantial scope for improving security personnel and equipment in healthcare settings.
CONCLUSIONS OF THE SURVEY
Modifications to infrastructure are essential to ensure safe, clean, and accessible duty rooms, bathrooms, food, and drinking water.
Adequate staffing, effective triaging, and crowd control in patient care areas are also necessary to ensure that doctors can provide the required attention to each patient without feeling threatened by their work environment.