NEW DELHI, Feb 2: In response to reports of attacks on doctors while they were performing their responsibilities, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated on Friday that existing laws contain safeguards to protect doctors from violence. The minister was answering a question posed in the Lok Sabha by Congressman Shashi Tharoor, who was looking for laws to shield medical professionals from violence in the workplace. Along with calling for financial and legal support for victims of such violence, Tharoor also mentioned a Keralan doctor who was killed while performing her duties.According to Mandaviya, there are laws in place that provide for the prosecution of those who injure medical professionals. She also stated that since doctors are revered, it is crucial to safeguard them. In response to follow-up inquiries about telemedicine consultations, Mandaviya stated that telemedicine is making healthcare more accessible to the underprivileged. According to a report cited by the minister, between three and four lakh people receive telemedicine consultations each day, with each patient saving an estimated Rs. 900. “Mandaviya stated that over 20 crore telemedicine consultations have been conducted thus far, resulting in savings for individuals exceeding Rs 18,000 crore.”
