CHANDIGARH: A day after the TOI reported cases of sexual harassment in the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, the Indian medical association (IMA) on Tuesday condemned the incidents and asked for proper security of doctors. Meanwhile, a written complaint by the doctors was forwarded to a sexual harassment committee on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the head of department (medicine) asked the resident doctors of the GMCH-32 to list their issues so that the same can be forwarded to the sexual harassment committee. “We have given the details in writing,” said a senior resident doctor.

“Ensure security of female resident doctors working in wards and emergency. Such incidents are very traumatising and hamper our working. We need safe working environment so that we can deliver our duties effectively and maintain a good doctor-patient relationship,” stated the letter, a copy of which is with the TOI.

“Although, the GMCH has a sexual harassment committee in place, the security measures are not sufficient and make us jittery. The arrangements are the same and nothing has changed. Even the police have expressed their inability to arrest the accused despite CCTV cameras,” said a doctor here.

Meanwhile, the IMA, Chandigarh, has directed the local hospitals to have adequate security in place so that the doctors can work without fear.

Emphasising on Prevention of Violence Against Medicare Personnel and Medicare Institutions Act, 2008, which is already implemented in 20 states, the president of IMA, Chandigarh, Dr Dheeraj Kumar said, “The act is yet to come into force, despite IMA’s frequent meetings with the local administration in the last two years.”

“Incidents of physical violence, abusive behaviour and now sexual harassment against doctors and medical staff have become frequent. My appeal to police is to take immediate and stern action that can act as a deterrent to such anti-social element,” he added.