In the backdrop of the suicide by Dr. Payal Tadvi, the Indian Medical Association has formed a five-member fact-finding committee to look at the larger issues concerning the resident doctors working in the State’s public hospitals.
The committee will review the critical factors that led to her death and recommend how to avoid such incidents in future.
Tadvi, 26, a second-year resident doctor in the gynaecology department of Topiwala National Medical College attached to B.Y.L. Nair Hospital committed suicide on May 22.
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Three senior resident doctors have been booked in the case after Tadvi’s parents alleged harassment and caste slurs by them.
‘Various aspects’
“The case has various aspects attached to it. Our fact-finding committee will piece together the facts and look at the larger issue that resulted in Tadvi’s death”, said Dr. Ravi Wankhedkar, a surgeon from Dhule and one of the five doctors on the committee.
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The other members include Dr. Hozie Kapadia and Dr. Suhas Pingle, both physicians from Mumbai, Dr. Ashok Adhao, a surgeon from Nagpur and Dr. Chandrakant Mhaske, a dermatologist and dean of the Government Medical College in Nanded. While Dr. Kapadia is the current State president of IMA, Dr. Pingle is the State secretary.
“Our main focus would be to look at changes that need to be brought in place to offer a better work environment for the resident doctors,” said Dr. Wankhedkar.
In a press statement, the IMA has stated that the poor working conditions of doctors, in particular, the residents in government hospitals, the abnormal load of work they are expected to carry as a matter of routine and the ever-present ridicule for deficiency of clinical skills cannot be pushed under the carpet.
“IMA’s fact-finding team will study comprehensively the complex issue and is expected to submit its report to IMA national president in a week’s time,” it stated.
Referring to the allegations of casteism, the statement said that if true, it is a matter of serious concern which has to be addressed.