Madhya Pradesh HC directs Govt to submit report on Doctors' safety measures

Jabalpur: At a time when the resident doctors at RG Kar Medical College are still protesting over the brutal rape and murder of PG trainee doctor in Kolkata, the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur has ordered the state government to submit a comprehensive report within 14 days on the actions it has taken to enhance the safety of doctors in medical colleges across the state.

The court, led by Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, was addressing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by RTI activist Ansul Tiwari. The petition highlighted the urgent need for improved safety measures for doctors, prompted by the disturbing incident in Kolkata.

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Advocate Mahendra Pateria, representing the medical community, informed the court that the state must present a detailed strategy during the proceedings. The required blueprint should cover several critical areas, transport for duty doctors, the establishment of a state grievance committee, setting up police posts, securing campus areas, implementing an attendants policy, enforcing restrictions on photography and videography, and managing bed occupancy.

“HC has asked the state government to come up with a strategy and planning for the safety and security of women doctors in hospitals and medical colleges and how it is planning to ensure their safety. Fourteen days time has been given to the state government to submit the report,” said Pateria as quoted by Free Press Journal.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that after taking suo motu cognisance of the incident of rape and murder of a PG trainee doctor at RG Kar Hospital, the Supreme Court constituted a National Task Force to frame effective recommendations to remedy the issues of concern regarding safety, working conditions, and well-being of medical professionals and other related matters.

This 15-member committee, comprising nine senior doctors and five ex-officio government officials, shall prepare an action plan to prevent violence against medical professionals and provide safe working conditions for them.

Further, it will provide an enforceable national protocol for dignified and safe working conditions for interns, residents, senior residents, doctors, nurses, and all medical professionals, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare mentioned in an Office Memorandum issued yesterday.

To prevent violence against healthcare workers, the NTF's job will be to ensure due security in medical establishments, provide a framework for infrastructural development- such as separate duty rooms and restrooms for male/female doctors, nurses, gender-neural common resting space, use of bio-metric or facial recognition for entry to sensitive areas, installing CCTVs, provision of transport from place of stay to place of duty and vice versa.