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The recent tragic and horrifying incident involving the rape and murder of a young doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata has shaken the entire nation. This brutal attack, targeting a professional whose very mission was to heal and protect others, has ignited a firestorm of protests and national outrage.
From the furthest corners of West Bengal to Goa, the healthcare community has united in a collective demand for justice, reform and systemic changes to safeguard the lives of medical professionals.
A call for justice
In the aftermath of the horrific crime, Goa’s medical community, led by the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD), took a firm stand supporting their colleagues across India. Silent protests have filled the streets of Panjim and Margao, as doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers marched to express their sorrow and anger at the senseless violence that claimed the life of one of their own.
Silent protests have filled the streets of Panjim and Margao, as doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers marched to express their sorrow and anger at the senseless violence that claimed the life of one of their own.
The victim, a young postgraduate trainee doctor, was found dead in a hospital seminar hall, her body bearing the signs of a violent assault. For those in the medical field, this was not just another crime - it was an attack on their profession, their workplace, and their very sense of safety.
Across Goa, healthcare workers joined the nationwide strike organized by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Private hospitals in Goa supported the strike, although emergency services were maintained to ensure patients in critical conditions would not suffer.
The broader context
While the incident in Kolkata has brought national attention to the issue, it is essential to recognise that the vulnerabilities faced by healthcare professionals are not confined to a single event or location. In Goa, as in many parts of India, doctors and nurses work long, gruelling hours, often without adequate security, rest facilities, or institutional support.
In Goa, as in many parts of India, doctors and nurses work long, gruelling hours, often without adequate security, rest facilities, or institutional support.
It is an open secret that healthcare workers, particularly women, face harassment, abuse, and unsafe working environments regularly. In Goa, doctors have voiced concerns about the lack of proper rest facilities during their shifts. Many hospitals, especially older government institutions, are ill-equipped to provide safe and secure resting rooms for their staff.
Female doctors and nurses, in particular, often have to work night shifts in uncomfortable and insecure environments. The recent case in Kolkata is a stark reminder of the consequences when these concerns are not addressed.
Female doctors and nurses, in particular, often have to work night shifts in uncomfortable and insecure environments.
Doctors and nurses also face unregulated working hours, with some shifts lasting up to 36 hours or more. The toll this takes on their physical and mental health cannot be overstated.
Exhausted and overworked medical staff are more vulnerable to mistakes, accidents, and, as this tragic case has demonstrated, personal harm. It is clear that the current system is failing them, and it is long past time for reforms to be implemented.
Goa’s healthcare workers demand change
From Goa to Gujarat, Kerala to Kolkata, the demands are the same: healthcare workers are calling for better security, safe and private resting rooms, and regulated working hours.
These demands are not just about improving the quality of life for medical professionals — they are about ensuring that hospitals are safe, functional spaces where patients and staff alike can trust that their well-being is being prioritised.
From Goa to Gujarat, Kerala to Kolkata, the demands are the same: healthcare workers are calling for better security, safe and private resting rooms, and regulated working hours.
Improved Security Measures: The lack of adequate security in hospitals is a nationwide issue, and Goa is no exception. Doctors and nurses are often required to work late into the night or in isolated areas of the hospital, with little to no safety from external threats.
Installing CCTV cameras, increasing the presence of security personnel, and implementing stricter access control to sensitive areas within hospitals are immediate steps that must be taken.
Better rest facilities: The need for secure resting rooms cannot be overstated. Every hospital in Goa must ensure that its doctors and nurses have access to clean, comfortable, and secure areas where they can rest between shifts, particularly during overnight duties.
Every hospital in Goa must ensure that its doctors and nurses have access to clean, comfortable, and secure area
Regulated working hours: One of the most pressing issues is the unregulated working hours that doctors and nurses are forced to endure. Hospitals in Goa need to adopt more structured and humane shift patterns that allow healthcare workers to rest and recuperate adequately.
The role of society
It is not just the healthcare system that must change — society’s attitudes toward healthcare workers also need to evolve. The events in Kolkata have revealed a disturbing trend of disrespect and disregard for the lives and dignity of medical professionals.
We, Goans, must stand with our doctors and nurses, acknowledging the critical role they play in our lives and recognising their right to work in a safe and supportive environment.
We, Goans, must stand with our doctors and nurses, acknowledging the critical role they play in our lives and recognizing their right to work in a safe and supportive environment.
A way forward
As Goans, we must remember that this tragedy is not an isolated incident but a reflection of deeper societal and systemic issues that need to be addressed. Our healthcare workers deserve better: better security, better working conditions, and better treatment from both the government and the public.
It is our collective responsibility to ensure that hospitals are safe spaces for everyone, where doctors and nurses can work without fear, and where justice, respect, and humanity prevail.
Let us stand in solidarity with the medical community across the country and push for the reforms that are so desperately needed. No doctor or nurse should ever have to fear for their life while they work to save ours.
