‘Safe work environment’: Govt issues advisory to all Central hospitals in Delhi amid RG Kar Medical College incident

The Centre on Wednesday issued an advisory to all the Central Government Hospitals in the national capital Delhi on safe work environment in the wake of an alleged rape, brutal murder of a trainee doctor at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare directed the Central Government Hospitals in Delhi to maintain a registry of any verbal aggression, threat, or physical violence against the health workers and advised the medicos to immediately inform the ministry through the Directorate General of Health Services.

"Recently it has been observed that violence has become very common against Medical Staff in the Govt. Hospitals. Many health workers suffer from physical violence at some point in their career. Many more are threatened or exposed to verbal aggression” the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare advisory read.

“Central Govt Hospitals are advised to maintain a registry of all such incidents. Any such incident must be immediately brought to the notice of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare through the Directorate General of Health Services," the advisory added.

It is important to note that many of the resident doctors working at different hospitals across the country are on strike in protest against the Kolkata incident.

National Medical Commission

Earlier on Tuesday, the National Medical Commission (NMC) also issued an advisory to all medical colleges and institutions across the country to develop a policy for a safe work environment.

"Incidents of violence against doctors in medical colleges have been reported in the recent past. All medical colleges are requested to develop a policy for a safe work environment within the college and hospital campus for all the staff members, including faculty, medical students and resident doctors," the NMC advisory said.

"The policy should ensure adequate safety measures at OPD, wards, casualty, hostels and other open areas in the campus and residential quarters. Corridors and campus be well-lit in the evening for staff to walk safely from one place to another and all sensitive areas be covered by CCTV for monitoring," the advisory added.

The notice further said that adequate security measures including posting of adequate security staff (male and female) should be made available at the OPD, wards, casualty, labour rooms, hostels residential quarters and other open areas in the Medical College and Hospital campus.

"Any incident of violence against the medical students should be promptly investigated by the college management and an FIR should be lodged with the Police," said the notice.