WB Doctors Forum seeks action against TMC MLA for misbehaving with staff at Kolkata hospital

The West Bengal Doctors Forum (WBDF) has written to the Chief Secretary of West Bengal, Manoj Pant, demanding legal action against Kanchan Mullick, a sitting MLA, for allegedly misbehaving with doctors and staff at the School of Tropical Medicine in Kolkata. The incident reportedly occurred two days ago, when Mullick, accompanied by his spouse, entered the hospital premises and allegedly created a scene that disrupted normal functioning and caused distress among the medical staff.

According to WBDF, the MLA's behaviour involved verbal abuse, unruly conduct, and disruption of hospital operations. The forum stated that such actions interfered with the lawful duties of healthcare workers, who were performing their responsibilities in a public institution. The letter also referred to this as a violation of the West Bengal Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2009.

The forum has demanded that the law be applied without delay or bias, stating that the actions amounted to gross misconduct and should be addressed accordingly. It further highlighted the need for a clear policy from the state government instructing hospital authorities to file immediate police complaints in all cases of violence, abuse, or intimidation within hospital premises.

In the letter, WBDF stressed the need for autonomous and prompt action by hospital administrations in such incidents, without waiting for instructions from any higher official. It added that such a step is necessary to deter future instances of aggression against medical professionals. The forum called this an urgent requirement for protecting healthcare environments from external pressure and disruption.

The letter was signed by Dr. Koushik Chaki, Honorary President of WBDF, and Dr. Sanjoy Holme Chowdhury, Honorary Secretary. They concluded by requesting the Chief Secretary to ensure accountability and strict enforcement of laws meant to protect the medical community, stating that the safety and dignity of healthcare workers must be upheld irrespective of the offender's status or position.