Increasing violence against 4 out of every 10 healthcare workers has become a global crisis, WHO warned

Healthcare Workers Report: The threat to the safety of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers working in hospitals is increasing. Healthcare workers, who are working day and night to save the lives of patients, are now facing violence, assault and indecent behavior in many countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described it as a matter of serious global concern. According to the organization, a large number of healthcare workers around the world face some form of violence during their careers. In India too, attacks on doctors have become a topic of discussion, due to which questions regarding the safety of healthcare workers have become more serious.

What came out in the WHO report?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 4 out of every 10 healthcare workers worldwide are victims of physical violence at least once in their career. If abuses, threats and inappropriate behavior are also included, this figure increases from 60 percent to 62 percent. A large number of health workers working in hospitals are facing violence in some form or the other.

In which countries are doctors most victims of violence?

According to a review published in the medical journal Atencion Primaria, violence against doctors and healthcare workers has become a serious problem not only in developing countries but also in developed countries. In the study, the highest number of cases of violence was recorded in Germany at 91 percent, followed by China at 90 percent, Peru at 84.5 percent, Turkey at 84 percent and India at 77.3 percent. At the same time, 63 percent of emergency doctors in Jordan, 55 percent in Bulgaria, 51.5 percent in Italy, 51 percent in Poland and 47 percent in America also said that they faced violence during their tenure.

Why are attacks on doctors increasing?

Experts say that the reasons are almost the same in different countries of the world. High number of patients in hospitals, shortage of healthcare workers, long wait, lack of proper communication between doctor and patient as well as expectations related to treatment often create a situation of tension, these situations sometimes take the form of violence, former state IMA president Dr. Santosh Kadam says that the patience among people is continuously decreasing. People expect immediate and completely successful results after spending on treatment. When this does not happen, sometimes anger is directed at the healthcare workers.

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What is the situation in India?

19 states of India have made different laws to protect healthcare workers, but attacks on doctors still continue. Dr. Suhas Pingle, former member of Maharashtra Medical Council, says that instead of different states, there is a need for a uniform national law in the entire country. In Maharashtra, between 2010 and 2021, 738 cases were registered under the law related to the safety of healthcare workers.

How are other countries protecting doctors?

Many countries have taken different steps to protect healthcare workers. Spain classified attacks on doctors as crimes against the state. After this, in two years there was a decrease of about 16 percent in the cases of violence. In Singapore, speaking inappropriately to healthcare workers can be punished with a fine of up to Singapore $5,000, up to 12 months in jail, or both. Here healthcare workers are also given special training. In the United Kingdom, patients who show violent behavior can be removed from the general practitioner’s list and such patients are also identified in the system. In many states of America, laws have been implemented that consider attacking healthcare workers as a more serious crime.

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Disclaimer: This information is based on research studies and expert opinion. Do not consider this as a substitute for medical advice. Before adopting any new activity or exercise, please consult your doctor or relevant specialist.

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