Nagpur: Addressing growing concerns over attacks on healthcare professionals, Justice Anil Kilor on Sunday said violence against doctors can never be justified and society must ensure that medical practitioners feel safe, respected and supported while discharging their duties.Speaking at the installation ceremony of the new office-bearers of Indian Medical Association at IMA’s JR Shaw Auditorium, the Administrative Judge of the Bombay High Court said doctors work under immense pressure, often making life-saving decisions within seconds and under emotionally charged circumstances.Referring to the recent spate of attacks on doctors in Maharashtra, Justice Kilor said while the pain and anxiety of patients’ relatives in critical situations is understandable, responding with aggression and violence against healthcare workers is totally unacceptable.“A doctor in a critical situation is making complex decisions in a matter of seconds, often with incomplete information, carrying the weight of a patient’s life in their hands. What they need in those moments is trust, cooperation, and space to work — not fear, hostility or the threat of violence,” he said.He further observed that if doctors begin to feel insecure, the entire healthcare system suffers. “As a society, we have a collective responsibility to ensure that our doctors feel safe, respected, valued and supported. Respect for doctors is not merely a matter of courtesy; it is about protecting the very foundation of healthcare,” Justice Kilor remarked.The judge also expressed gratitude towards the medical fraternity for their dedication and sacrifices. “Today is also a moment of gratitude — for long hours doctors put in, often throughout the night, for sacrifices they make and for countless acts of care carried out quietly and without recognition,” he said while congratulating the newly installed IMA team.
