While Doctors Protect Us, Who is Protecting Them?

Image by CDC

In August 2024, a young woman in Kolkata, India never made it home from work. She was a doctor. She was a daughter. She was brutally raped and murdered at her hospital of employment. She only made it to 31 years of age. A woman who dedicated a majority of her short life to becoming a healthcare provider was taken away from her family in the same place she thought would be a safe haven; a place she sought to make safe for all her patients.

Healthcare professionals – particularly doctors – are an integral part of the health and wellness of the community in which they serve. They safeguard the integrity of the healthcare system. Thus, they must be protected from violence – both physical and verbal – in the workplace. Yet, in recent years, we’ve seen a significant increase in cases of violence against medical professionals. According to the American Medical Association, violent attacks against healthcare workers grew by 67% in seven years.  

Violence against the healthcare industry is an incredibly dangerous thing. Cultivating a hostile work environment in hospitals and medical offices can prevent doctors from providing the necessary care the patient deserves. Think about it this way: Would you be able to execute the work of your job if someone was threatening you over your shoulder?

Of course not! Medical professionals shouldn’t be subjected to such danger. A 31 year-old trainee doctor was viciously raped and murdered when all she wanted was the heal her patients. Law enforcement speculates that a hospital volunteer committed this egregious attack. 

“The recent rape and murder of a physician in India by a volunteer police officer at the hospital is a chilling reminder of the growing violence against healthcare workers. It’s a tragic wake-up call for the entire healthcare community: we need to prioritize the safety and well-being of our colleagues,” explains Sarah M. Worthy, CEO of DoorSpace.

The tragedy has sparked a massive wave of protests and strikes as doctors, medical personnel, loved ones, and women everywhere demand justice for the young doctor and other victims of violence. In the midst of ongoing public health challenges, such as pandemics and chronic illness management, the last thing medical health professionals need to worry about is their safety. The wellbeing of medical professionals is critical to ensuring that patients receive the care they need.

It seems so trivial, so elementary. Why must we advocate for the safety of doctors? For the safety of nurses? For the safety of individuals who have entered an industry that prioritizes the wellbeing of communities far and wide? 

“Violence against healthcare workers has risen tremendously in the last few years, and the aforementioned number is based on grossly underreported cases.The safety of healthcare workers should never be compromised, and when doctors and nurses don’t feel safe – they aren’t able to do their best for their patients. We all lose when violence becomes an epidemic and healthcare leaders need to make sustainable investments in building safer workplace environments.”

Unchecked violence in medical spaces undermines the quality of public health in its entirety. Doctors and other medical professionals cannot provide healthcare to the same capacity if they are fearing for their lives. If we continue to allow healthcare providers to work in fear, their ability to perform effectively diminishes, in turn – affecting the quality of patient care. Doctors may even feel inclined to leave their positions due to unsafe working conditions; contributing to a growing shortage of medical professionals, worsening access to care in already underserved areas. 

We must address the issue at hand. Our doctors and medical professionals are the people who choose to save lives every single day. They choose to go to work during global pandemics. They choose to serve their community without expectation. The least we can do is ensure they are protected.