‘Mental health of residents is our top priority’

The team has already started working towards the campaign manifesto and the plan includes better hostel and canteen/cafe facilities for residents, a dedicated complaints/redress forum for residents, active inclusion of all residents in ARD, sports and cultural activities, more participation of female residents in ARD and spaces for residents’ breaks.

As president of ARD and a psychiatrist, Dr. Chakravarty said he wants to focus first on the mental health of residents, especially those who work in departments such as surgery, medicine and pediatrics. “We can’t reduce work hours or patient load, but with the support of the department head, we can work toward an environment where stress and anxiety can be reduced, with small changes to roster, more understanding between colleagues. Our seniors are on the same page and we approach them with solutions not problems. Our priority is a round table, that is, a well-being and psychological well-being clinic for residents, where they can come and discuss their problems and fears. We get about 50 crisis calls a month from residents, especially during dissertation submissions and protocol submissions and our department head is very supportive of this idea,” he said.

The stigma regarding mental health, he adds, also needs attention, and here communication is the key, because many problems can be solved by sharing and medication is not always needed. “We need mental health awareness and practical ways to manage stress. In times of Covid, we had a psychiatrist and a psychologist at the NHE, to manage the anxiety of both patients and doctors, and in this wave, when many doctors entered the NHE, they were also providing psychological support to patients. All departments of the institute collaborated with the Covid responsibilities and the workload was shared by all”, he added. Dr. Chakravarty said as many as 15 South Indian residents have joined, so ARD is working to address their fears, food, who to call for help. “They will be here for the next three years and they should be comfortable with the environment.”

Dr Chakravarty said: “Here mortality is high and it has a terrible impact on mental health. So we have suggested that residents be given three months in ICU and OPD, so that their mental stress is reduced and they can also work on their studies. The Administration is supporting us at every step, and we have not faced obstacles, on any issue. Communication is the key to better relationships, patient care, success and good work.”

ARD PGI requires a safe work environment for all physicians
The Association of Resident Physicians (ARD) has demanded a safe working environment for all doctors, in view of a recent incident in Rajasthan. On March 29, in Lasot, a pregnant patient died during childbirth due to PPH, a known complication of pregnancy and one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in India. The patient’s family party created a ruckus outside the hospital alleging mismanagement by the treating physician. Against all Supreme Court guidelines, without any investigation, the police filed a case under Section 302 (attempted murder). The doctor, a senior obstetrician, hanged herself on Tuesday. If this doctor was a murderer, says a statement released by ARD, then every doctor is a murderer because we cannot save every life. All physicians must be reserved for Section 302 and excluded from the practice.

With the previous state of things, it becomes imperative to listen to the demands of doctors that have fallen on deaf ears and become the subject of discussion only after an incident.