Muslim patients suffer as Hindu doctors fear for their safety

Doctors in the riot hit Indian city of Ahmedabad have not been working in its Muslim neighbourhoods for several weeks, because of security concerns and a disruption in medical services.

Consultants and general practitioners belonging to the majority Hindu community are avoiding visits to Muslim localities in Ahmedabad, where religious riots between Hindus and Muslims have claimed more than 400 lives in the past 10weeks.

Security concerns for doctors surfaced after individuals posing as patients stabbed and injured a Hindu doctor last month in his clinic in a Muslim neighbourhood. The incident prompted the Ahmedabad Doctors' Forum to urge Hindu doctors not to venture into Muslim localities unless their safety was guaranteed.

The forum has asserted that its call was not intended to deny medical services to Muslims but to ensure the safety of doctors. “Religion is not an issue at all,” Dr Bharat Amin, president of the forum told the BMJ. “All patients are equal to us,” he said.

But doctors concede that medical services in Muslim localities are in disarray. “Less than 200 of the city's 4500 doctors are Muslims, and they simply cannot handle all the Muslim patients,” said Dr Vijay Bhatia, vice president of the Indian Medical Association's Ahmedabad branch.

“Personal safety or professional duty—that's the dilemma that doctors in this city are facing,” Dr Bhatia said.

Hindu doctors have stopped visiting hospitals in Muslim localities. At the Al Amin Hospital, for example, 70 out of 82 consultants are Hindus. “All but two have stayed away from the hospital for several weeks,” Dr Sadiq Kazi, medical superintendent at Al Amin told the BMJ.

Its Muslim consultants have also stopped visiting because of safety concerns about travelling around the city.

Two injured Muslim men at a relief camp in Ahmedabad

(Credit: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP)