Amid protests, Silchar Medical College cancels controversial safety advisory for women doctors
The advisory quickly sparked protests from students and staff, who criticized it as insufficient and misplaced. They demanded concrete security measures on campus rather than placing the burden of safety solely on female employees.
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FollowFollowing massive backlash, Assam's Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) has retracted an advisory issued to female doctors and staff, which urged them to "avoid going alone" to "isolated places" at night. The advisory, originally issued by Dr. Bhaskar Gupta, the principal and chief superintendent of SMCH, was intended to enhance the safety of female staff in the wake of the recent tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The advisory quickly sparked protests from students and staff, who criticized it as insufficient and misplaced. They demanded concrete security measures on campus rather than placing the burden of safety solely on female employees.
In response to the outcry, on Wednesday Dr. Gupta announced that the advisory had been withdrawn and that a new one would be issued soon. He emphasized that the original advisory's intent was to ensure the safety and security of women doctors, students, and healthcare workers on the campus.
The now-canceled advisory had advised female medics, students, and staff to "avoid situations where they are alone" and to refrain from leaving their hostel or lodging rooms at night unless absolutely necessary and with prior notice to the concerned authority. It also recommended against going off-campus during late hours and urged caution in associating with unknown or suspicious individuals.
The advisory further suggested that during duty hours, doctors should remain "well-composed emotionally," stay alert, and interact graciously with the public to avoid attracting "unnecessary attention" from "unscrupulous people."
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The Junior Doctors' Association (JDA) expressed deep disappointment with the advisory, stating that it left students feeling "deeply saddened and ashamed." The association criticized the advisory for failing to address the fundamental security issues at SMCH and called for more robust measures to protect the safety of all staff and students.
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