Amid nationwide protests by resident doctors, triggered by the tragic rape and murder of a female intern at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata, the Union Health Ministry has approved a 25% increase in security at all central government hospitals. This decision is aimed at improving safety protocols and ensuring a safer environment for healthcare workers across the country.
Enhanced security measures
As part of the new security measures, the ministry has also approved the deployment of officers to hospitals as needed. Each hospital will conduct its own security assessment to determine specific requirements for additional staff. Officials stressed that while these security upgrades are crucial, turning hospitals into heavily guarded facilities is not the goal. Hospitals must balance accessibility with security, as they are public facilities.
The protests have revived calls for a central law to protect healthcare workers from violence, a demand that has gained traction following the RG Kar incident. However, government sources have pointed out that the Kolkata case was not a typical example of violence between doctors and patients, which is usually the focus of such legislation. They pointed out that 26 states and Union Territories, including West Bengal, Delhi, Maharashtra and Kerala, already have laws in place that make violence against healthcare workers a criminal and non-bailable offence.
According to officials, enacting a central law specifically in response to the RG Kar incident might not significantly change the existing legal framework, given that the crime in question was not related to violence between doctors and patients. The health ministry has engaged in discussions with several resident doctors’ associations to explain this perspective, stressing that current state laws already provide substantial protection to healthcare workers.
Formation of a Review Committee
To address broader concerns about hospital safety and working conditions of resident doctors, the ministry has announced the formation of a committee led by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). This committee will review various aspects of hospital operations, including safety protocols, on-call rooms, work schedules and canteen services, with the aim of improving the overall working environment for healthcare professionals.
Call to end the strikes
Amid the ongoing protests, the government has urged doctors to call off their strikes, citing the negative impact on patient care. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has also reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention to expedite the enactment of a central law to combat violence against healthcare workers and designate hospitals as safe zones with mandatory safety measures.
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