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In a move to address the growing concerns surrounding the safety of doctors, the Indian government convened a virtual meeting on Wednesday with state chief secretaries and DGPs. The meeting, co-chaired by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra, aimed to ensure the implementation of robust security measures to protect healthcare professionals at their workplaces.
The impetus for this meeting stemmed from a recent tragic incident involving the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The case sparked widespread protests by resident doctors, who demanded a central law to guarantee the safety of health professionals and justice for their colleague. The Supreme Court, hearing the case, directed the Union Health Secretary to ensure states have adequate safety measures in place until a National Task Force (NTF) formulated a comprehensive protocol.
The Centre's directives outlined a multi-pronged approach to enhance security in healthcare facilities. These included the installation of CCTV cameras at blind spots, integration of the 112 helpline number for healthcare workers, and regulated access to large hospitals. States were also urged to implement existing legislation, raise awareness about provisions protecting healthcare professionals, and deploy chief security officers at hospitals and medical colleges.
Further measures advocated by the Centre encompassed police verification of contractual employees, joint security audits, police presence within hospital premises, increased night patrols, and the establishment of sexual harassment complaint committees. District collectors, deputy superintendents of police, and hospital management were instructed to conduct joint security audits to identify and rectify any shortcomings in infrastructure and security arrangements.
Emphasis was placed on regular security checks of all hired security personnel and the utilization of security personnel provided by the Directorate of General Resettlement and State Security Corporation. The formation of security and safety committees involving both senior and junior residents and students was encouraged for continuous monitoring and emergency response preparedness.
The meeting also stressed the importance of routine night patrols in all hospitals and medical colleges, the establishment of control rooms equipped with CCTV monitoring and secure data storage, and the regular conduct of security and fire drills. Contractual security personnel were to receive training to enhance their capabilities.
In a separate development, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) suspended the membership of former R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh amidst a CBI probe into the alleged rape and murder of the junior doctor. The IMA cited the disrepute brought to the profession by Mr. Ghosh's actions as the basis for their decision.