NEW DELHI: Female health professionals will now be escorted to premises while on duty in all Central government hospitals and institutions, including the AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), and get appropriately secured transport for their commute at night.
Also, more than one woman health professional will be deployed at night, and adequate lighting will be provided in the hospital premises, especially the duty areas used by female healthcare staff.
The Union Health Ministry issued a slew of directions to all the heads of the Central government hospitals and institutions, including AIIMS and the Institutes of National Importance (INI), in the wake of the brutal rape-murder of a 31-year-old woman trainee doctor in a state-run hospital in Kolkata on August 9.
The barbaric act triggered a nationwide protest by resident and junior doctors, who shunned work, demanding a Central law that ensures their protection and safety.
Directing these Central government hospitals to enhance security, especially for women doctors, who form a sizable number, the ministry, in a letter dated August 19, said they that should install CCTV cameras, employ adequate number of well-trained security guards, strictly monitor entry and exit of staff, patients, and visitors; and also train all hospital employees, including doctors, nurses and administrative personnel in recognising and responding to security threats.
Among the 12 directives issued, the ministry asked the hospitals to map dark spots on campus and ensure adequate lighting on the premises.
“An adequate number of well-secured duty rooms with basic amenities should be provided for female health professionals. Deployment of lady health professionals at night should preferably be done in more than one number. They should be escorted on premises while on duty, and proper arrangement of secured transport should be made for them for any movement at night,” a letter, dated August 19, said.
“Ensuring the safety of healthcare professionals is vital. Violence or harassment against staff can disrupt operations and affect the quality of care provided to patients. Patient rush increases the potential for conflicts and security breaches. Addressing these concerns requires a comprehensive approach to security that balances accessibility with effective measures to protect patients, staff, and the integrity of the facility,” the letter further read.
A control room should be set up in the Institute for quick response to an emergent situation. In the Control Room, one admin staff member should always be stationed along with security persons, it said.