Ozone Pharmaceuticals Ltd. today launched‘Ozone SHIELD’, a first initiative of its kind by any Indian pharmaceutical company for the welfare and safety of doctors, at a special event. This initiative is taken in response to the growing instances of violence, harassment and baseless legal suits against doctors, Ozone Shieldprovides security assistance, legal assistance and emotional wellbeing support to doctors in case they get caught in such an untoward scenario. The initiative was formally launched by Dr. Kiran Bedi (IPS), former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, who was also the Chief Guest of the event.
The need is well documented. A nationwide survey this year by experts from AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital and VMMC, covering over1,500 healthcare workers, found78.4 percenthad faced threats on duty, and 58.2 percent didn’t feel safe at work. It’s this gap Ozone SHIELD is built to close. It has also been established that in majority of the legal cases, the doctors are eventually declared ‘not’ guilty’ by the honourable courts.
“The pharma industry and doctors stand together as one team serving society. When doctors face mindless violence or unnecessary legal harassment, protecting them becomes our duty. Protecting the Protectors is the sole purpose of Ozone SHIELD, because a doctor under threat or trauma is a loss the entire society bears. We consider it as our responsibility and commitment to give back something to the medical fraternity for all that they do for us,” said Subash Sehgal, Founder and Managing Director, Ozone Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Speaking about the InitiativeDr. Kiran Bedi, said “Ozone SHIELD stands as a testament to true leadership by safeguarding the legal and social rights of the doctors who dedicate their lives to protecting others. Through visionary awareness workshops led by Mr. Sehgal, this initiative empowers the medical fraternity with knowledge, confidence, and strong support.”
The idea, Sehgal says, comes from three decades of working closely with doctors, and watching a profession once given unquestioned respect, increasingly coming under attack, threats and harassment. Conceptualised by him, Ozone SHIELD is a Security-Legal-Advisory system offering personal security support during threats or manhandling, legal assistance for medico-legal matters, and emotional wellbeing support through counselling.
Ozone’s field teams, already present nationwide, are introducing OZONE SHIELD to doctors directly, starting with gynaecologists before expanding to other specialities. Doctors can also register themselves through the SHIELD WhatsApp Chatbot, a short form covering name, speciality, city and their Ozone network, after which the local team reaches out.
“Doctors make enormous sacrifices and their role in the building of a nation is no less than that of a soldier. Therefore, we look at it as our duty to partner with the system to stand by them,” said Anil Kothiyal, CEO, Ozone Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
OZONE SHIELD is also a reminder to the society of the need to respect the medical profession. That is why, under Ozone Shield, a lot more conversations and dissemination of information shall happen to make the people aware of the extraordinary, heroic efforts made by doctors. Sehgal articulates the final goal of this initiative quite interestingly, when he says that he has launched an initiative that he hopes no one has to ever use!