Calcutta:Following protests triggered by the rape and murder of a female trainee doctor at Kolkata’s state-run RG Kar Medical College & Hospital on August 9, the West Bengal government has announced some security measures keeping in view the demands of the medical corps who went on a 24-hour strike that ended at 6 am today. The measures announced by the Mamata Banejee government to facilitate and improve working conditions of women doctors in hospitals include creating safe zones for women and separate rest areas with toilets, regulating duty hours, ensuring presence of female or volunteer security personnel and launching a mobile app called ‘Ratri Sathi’, which will help women in distress make a direct SOS call to the nearest police station.
What is the “Ratri Sathi” Initiative?
The ‘Ratri Sathi’ app, which translates to night companion, is a special security force comprising police personnel and private security guards, to ensure the safety of women working during night hours.
The ‘Ratri Sathi’ app will provide them with quick access to the police in case they are in danger.
Also, women will not be asked to work during night hours wherever possible and to the extent possible. Not only government institutions but also private sector employers will have to adhere to the ‘Ratri Sathi’ guidelines. The safety measures were announced by the CM’s Principal Adviser Alapan Bandyopadhyay after a meeting of Mama Banerjee with the Chief Secretary, the Home Minister and the DGP on the safety of women doctors in hospitals.
According to the state government, the measures will be notified soon and implemented as soon as possible.
“The government’s effort is to provide safe working conditions for women on night shifts in all government hospitals, medical colleges, nursing homes and other places,” Bandyopadhyay said.
To prevent intoxicated people from entering these campuses, breathalyzer tests will be carried out at the entrances.
In addition, the wearing of ID cards has been made mandatory for all staff and faculty members to help police identify outsiders and restrict their access to areas designated for doctors and patients only.
Initially, the city police were investigating the matter, however, after the intervention of the Calcutta High Court, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
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