The Indian Medical Association's Goa branch has condemned the attack on an oncologist by a patient's relative at a hospital in Chennai and demanded a stringent and deterrant legislation to curb violence against doctors in the country.

Such cases need to be fast-tracked, with exemplary punishment to culprits, it said.

Dr Balaji Jagannathan (53) was stabbed at least seven times on Wednesday by a man at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital in Chennai allegedly over grievances regarding the treatment of his mother at the facility, according to hospital officials.

The doctor was being treated and his condition was reported to be stable, they said.

The 26-year old accused was later arrested.

Condemning the attack, IMA Goa president Dr Sandesh Chodankar on Wednesday said, "This (attacks on medical professionals) has become a regular and recurring phenomena in healthcare sector across India which clearly exposes the failure on part of the government to take care of safety and security issues threatening the very existence of this noble profession." The incident has happened despite community awareness, token strikes, rallies, candle marches and sensitisation of stakeholders conducted after the incident of rape and murder of a doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August, he noted.

Chodankar said the IMA has been demanding a strong and stringent central law for violence against doctors at pan-India level with fast tracking of such cases and extraordinary and exemplary punishment to the culprits.

The government should take a note of this sensitive issue and come out with a deterrent legislation, he said.

Referring to the incident in Chennai, Chodankar said this act of "national shame" by patients and their attendants seems to be unstoppable at this point of time, clearly exposing the system's failure.

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