SRINAGAR: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Mir Arifa Jan, Jammu & Kashmir, has extended her heartiest congratulations to Dr. Fauzia Khan, National President of NCP (Students & Professionals Wing) and Rajya Sabha MP, appreciating her strong and dedicated efforts to introduce comprehensive legislation for the protection of doctors and healthcare workers across India.
Mir Arifa Jan praised Dr. Fauzia Khan’s Parliamentary initiative, stating that her leadership has brought national attention to issues deeply connected to the safety, dignity, and professional environment of thousands of medical practitioners in the country.
She reiterated her appeal to the Central Government to enact a uniform National Doctors Protection Law, emphasizing that doctors continue to face “unprecedented threats, assault, and harassment” while performing their duties. She affirmed that the NCP stands firmly behind all measures aimed at securing the working environment for India’s healthcare workforce.
Mir Arifa Jan highlighted that although 24 states have enacted doctor protection laws, many are fragmented, inconsistent, and poorly implemented, leaving healthcare professionals exposed to violence. Citing surveys that show nearly 75% of doctors have faced violence on duty, she described the situation as “a national alarm that must not be ignored.”
Call for creation of medical officer posts in all far-flung areas
The NCP leader urged the government to urgently address the acute shortage of Medical Officer posts, especially in remote and far-flung regions where healthcare access remains limited. She noted that despite a growing pool of qualified MBBS graduates, many remain unemployed or underutilized.
She said, “On one hand, India faces a shortage of Medical Officers, particularly in underserved rural and hilly areas; on the other hand, many MBBS doctors are yet to be absorbed. This imbalance must be corrected through immediate cadre expansion and creation of sufficient Medical Officer vacancies.”
Demand to keep fresh MBBS seat allotments in abeyance till abortion of already unemployed MBBS doctors in J&K
Mir Arifa Jan also appealed to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the National Medical Commission (NMC) to freeze new MBBS seat allotments to medical colleges until all previously qualified MBBS doctors are fully absorbed into the healthcare system.
She warned that unplanned expansion of medical seats without proportional job creation is worsening unemployment among medical graduates.
She stated, “Before increasing MBBS seats further, the government must ensure placement and employment of existing graduates. Increasing intake without opportunities will only create a generation of qualified doctors with no avenues to serve.”
Supports Dr. Fauzia Khan’s National Doctor Protection Bill
Reaffirming her full support for Dr. Fauzia Khan’s proposed national legislation, Mir Arifa Jan listed the essential components required in a strong national framework:
- Cognizable and non-bailable offences for violence against healthcare workers
- Strong hospital security systems, including CCTV and rapid-response teams
- Mandatory reporting of all violence incidents
- Effective grievance redressal mechanisms in healthcare institutions
- Transparency in consultation and treatment charges to minimize misunderstandings
She concluded by stating that doctor protection and doctor employment must be treated as urgent national priorities, urging all political parties to rise above political differences and support this humanitarian cause.