Existing laws have provisions to protect doctors from violence, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday amid incidents of doctors being attacked while carrying out their duties.

The minister was responding to a query in the Lok Sabha by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor who sought legislation to protect doctors and healthcare workers from violence at the workplace. Tharoor also demanded that victims of such violence be provided financial and legal support, and mentioned a doctor in Kerala killed while doing her duty.

There are provisions in existing laws to take action against people who perpetrate violence against doctors, Mandaviya said, adding that doctors are considered gods and their protection is important. In reply to supplementary questions related to telemedicine consultations, Mandaviya said telemedicine is helping make healthcare more affordable for poor people.

Citing a study, the minister said about three lakh to four lakh people avail telemedicine consultations every day and the savings for one person is estimated to be little over Rs 900.

"So far, more than 20 crore telemedicine consultations have taken place and that means there have been savings for people of over Rs 18,000 crore," Mandaviya said.