Ilaaj 2.0 – Treating Patients or Treating Violence – MSAI India

Name of the activity: Ilaaj 2.0 – Treating Patients or Treating Violence

Country/NMO: MSAI India

Program: Ethics and Human Rights in Health

Contact information: contact [email protected] to get in touch with the Activity Coordinator

Type of the activity: First-time Activity

Category: Advocacy

Focus area: Human Rights for Medical Professionals in daily clinical settings, Medical Ethics (Patient Centered Care, Good Medical Practice, direct doctor-patient relationship), Rights of patients, doctors and medical students, Peace, peacebuilding and health

Sustainable Development Goals addressed: SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

Problem statement:

Doctors and the healthcare workforce have served as the frontline brigade during this pandemic, but there is still an alarming increase in the cases of abuse and violence against them. In April 2021, A doctor carrying out the rural service was brutally beaten while on Covid duty by a deceased patient’s relatives in Assam. While in August 2021, A doctor in Kerala was attacked by a gang of four people, who were allegedly drunk after he asked the accused to follow COVID-19 protocols.

Target groups:

• Medical students
• Healthcare Students

Beneficiaries:

• General population
• Doctors
• Other health professionals

Objectives:

1. To sensitise at least 250 medical students about the current scenario of violence against doctors and its impacts through a presentation and group discussion in a 1 hour session over a time frame of 4 months.
2. To educate at least 250 medical students about the different models of doctor-patient relationships through a presentation in a 1 hour session, over a time frame of 4 months.
3. To educate at least 250 medical students how to build a healthy doctor-patient relationship in a 1 hour session over a time frame of 4 months.
4. To educate at least 250 medical students how to identify the early signs of a possible assault in a 1 hour session over a time frame of 4 months.
5. To sensitize at least 250 medical students about Indian laws safeguarding doctors from violence through a presentation in a 1 hour session over a time frame of 4 months.
6. To make at least 250 medical students aware of Code Violet through a presentation in a 1 hour session over a time frame of 4 months.

Indicators of Success:

General Indicators:

– Number of participants: Minimum 250

– Volunteer satisfaction: at least 8/10

– At least 70% of the participants participate actively in the group discussion

Specific Indicators: At least 60% of participants become aware of 

– The current scenario of violence against doctors and its impacts

– The different models of doctor-patient relationships 

– The soft skills essential for building a healthy doctor-patient relationship 

– Identify the early signs of a possible assault using STAMP

– The Indian laws safeguarding doctors from violence

– The administrative measures, including Code Violet, required to ensure a safe hospital environment 

Qualitative indicators:

– Volunteer satisfaction averages at least 8/10

– Idea of activity

– Content of activity

– Methodology

– Impact generated

– Involvement of national team

Methodology:

1. Pre-launch: SC video a day before launch of activity inorder to sensitize people towards the issue of Violence against doctors
2. A group of enthusiastic volunteers are collected. They are provided with a comprehensive toolkit outlining the goals and methodology of the activity. 
3. The target population, i.e medical students, are identified and gathered by the organisers and volunteers, for the discussion.
4. Organizers (maximum 2) and volunteers (maximum 4)  are required to fulfill the minimum criteria (12)  and not exceed the maximum (25) criteria for the number of participants and strictly adhere to COVID protocols.
5. Pre-event questionnaire is filled by each participant.
6. A discussion is held on healthy Doctor patient relationship and its role in preventing violence against doctors, using the presentation, video and examples provided in the resource document. 
7. At the end of the event, the post event questionnaires are filled by the participants.

Plans for evaluation:

– Gantt Chart used for monitoring the timeline of activity right from planning to execution.

– Active monitoring done to identify, analyse and solve any deviations or problems faced by the volunteers in conducting the activity.

 – Quantitative evaluation: Pre and post event questionnaire responses compared and evaluated using mean and percentage based statistical modalities to assess the impact.

– Qualitative evaluation: Feedback for the event filled by organizers in the post event report

– Data obtained from the pre and post event questionnaire, quality of interaction from post event report form compared with the success indicators set for the activity.

– Event organisers also submit a summary of the event, along with pictures as a method to monitor the activity.

External collaborations:

Event Organisers were encouraged to collaborate with external speakers such as doctors or interns who had either witnessed or experienced an incident of violence and could provide personal and expert insights to the target audience regarding the issue.