A new online fraud has emerged in India, targeting doctors with threatening calls of suicide and demanding money. The fraudsters claim to be patients who have taken overdoses of medicines prescribed by the doctors, and ask for money to save their lives. Some doctors have received multiple calls from different numbers, creating panic and stress. This type of fraud affects the mental health and reputation of doctors. Doctors are advised to report such calls to the police and not to fall prey to the scam .
Doctors are unsafe in India because they face violence and attacks from angry relatives of patients who die or do not recover from COVID-19 or other diseases. Some doctors have been assaulted, abused, or even killed by mobs who blame them for the death or negligence of their loved ones. This creates a sense of fear and insecurity among the medical fraternity, and hampers their work efficiency .
The public should be educated and sensitized about the role and challenges of doctors. The media should also play a positive role in creating awareness and appreciation for the doctors who are risking their lives to save others
