• By Mayukh Debnath
  • Wed, 28 Aug 2024 04:20 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Doctors Safety Measures: The Centre on Wednesday held a meeting with the director generals of police (DGPs) and health secretaries of all states to address the concerns raised by doctors' bodies about the safety of healthcare professionals in the wake of the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The meeting came days after the Supreme Court decided to take immediate action in light of the nationwide protests over the rape-murder case. The apex court took suo moto notice of the incident and formed a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) to address the issue.

CENTRE'S SUGGESTIONS FOR SAFETY OF DOCTORS

In a letter dated August 23 to chief secretaries and DGPs, Union Home Secretary Apurva Chandra suggested various measures to ensure a safe working environment for healthcare professionals on hospital premises. According to news agency PTI, the following were the suggestions mentioned in the letter:

- Display of criminal provisions, including state laws meant for the protection of healthcare workers and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), aimed at deterring violence against medical staff in conspicuous spots on hospital premises in the local language and in English.

- Formation of a 'hospital security committee' and a 'violence prevention committee', comprising senior doctors and administrative officers.

- Measures to regulate the access for people and the relatives of patients to crucial areas of a hospital.

- Enforcement of a strict visitor pass policy.

- Measures to ensure the safe movement of resident doctors and nurses working the night shift, within different blocks, hostel buildings and other areas of a hospital.

- Routine security patrolling on hospital premises during night hours.

- A round-the-clock manned security control room.

- Constitution of an internal committee to deal with complaints of sexual harassment.

- Review of the condition and requirement of CCTV cameras.

(With inputs from agencies)