Doctors for Social Responsibility: Fight against Nuclear Weapons

Doctors for Social Responsibility: Fight against Nuclear Weapons

-          By Padma Shri Awardee Dr Marthanda Pillai, Honorary National President Indian Medical Association and Dr KK Aggarwal, President HCFI & Honorary Secretary General Indian Medical Association

The world has been a witness of the atomic bombings that took place 70 years ago at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Those horrendous sights of the aftermath post bombing in August 6, 1945 haven’t been forgotten and easily stimulate fear in individuals till today. After the bombings, the land became absolutely ravaged and there wasn’t anything left that could be used for sustenance further. Lamenting the circumstances, doctors warned the world against the devastating effects of nuclear weapons way back then. And since that time, nothing has been able to deter the doctors from all across the world in coming together and standing against all kinds of nuclear tests and other activities.

The recent WMA Declarations of Geneva, of Helsinki and of Tokyo has shed light on how doctors from all across the globe have stood up for humanity and social responsibility. As the nations are proceeding towards development, doctors are being encouraged to act on their responsibilities beyond curing their patients. Given the importance and status doctors are given in our society, the medical professionals are being called to serve the world for the cause of humanity. The WMA has considered and recognized the importance of doctors and the respective medical establishments in fighting towards the cause of elimination of nuclear weapons.

The WMA took the declaration forward by:

·         Agreeing that the world together should condemn the development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer, deployment, threat and use of nuclear weapons

·         Requesting all the respective governments to refrain from the development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer, deployment, threat and use of nuclear weapons and to work in good faith towards the elimination of nuclear weapons;

·         Advising all governments that even a limited nuclear war would bring about immense human suffering and substantial death toll together with catastrophic effects on the earth’s ecosystem, which could subsequently decrease the worlds food supply and would put a significant portion of the world’s population at risk of famine; and

·         Requesting that all National Medical Associations join the WMA in supporting this Declaration, use available educational resources to educate the general public and to urge their respective governments to work towards the elimination of nuclear weapons

·         Inviting all National Medical Associations to join the WMA in supporting this Declaration and to urge their respective governments to work to ban and eliminate nuclear weapons

The world needs a strong support system of doctors to ensure the universal slogan of peace across the globe. These weapons are highly destructive in nature and pose an existential threat to humanity. If used, the nuclear weapon can destroy mankind and all traces of it, from economic infrastructure, public health system, communication network and the man itself. React before all is gone!

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