Enhanced Safety Measures for Healthcare Workers Following Recent Incidents
Enhanced Safety Measures for Healthcare workers Following Recent Incidents
In response to the increasing concerns for the safety of healthcare professionals, particularly following the tragic RG Kar rape-murder case in Kolkata, the indian government has issued a series of stringent guidelines aimed at improving security and protecting healthcare workers. These measures are to be implemented by all states and union territories within two weeks.
Key Recommendations by the Central Government:
Formation of Internal Committees:
Establish committees within hospitals to address security, violence prevention, and sexual harassment issues.
Strict Visitor Rules:
Implement and enforce stringent regulations for hospital visitors to enhance security.
Infrastructure Upgrades:
Improve basic infrastructure, especially for night-duty staff, to ensure a safer working environment.
Increased police Patrols:
Enhance police presence and patrols around hospitals and medical institutions.
Security Audits:
Conduct joint security audits with district authorities to identify and address deficiencies in existing security arrangements.
Regular Security Checks:
Ensure regular checks of all hired security and service staff.
Control Rooms and CCTV Monitoring:
Set up control rooms in large medical institutions to monitor CCTV networks and secure data storage. Ensure distress calls are promptly attended to.
Mock Drills:
Conduct regular security drills similar to fire safety drills to prepare for emergency situations.
Security Personnel Training:
Upgrade the training and capacity of security personnel to handle their duties more effectively.
Patient Facilitators:
Employ patient facilitators to assist with patient transport, reducing the load on security and healthcare staff.
Bereavement Protocols:
Train doctors and healthcare workers in handling bereavement protocols, especially in emergency and casualty wards.
Institutional Safety Committees:
Create security and safety committees involving residents, students, and other personnel for continuous monitoring and emergency preparedness.
Nighttime Security Patrolling:
Implement routine patrolling at medical institutions during nighttime.
CCTV and Helpline Integration:
Install CCTV cameras in blind spots and integrate with the ‘112’ helpline for immediate assistance.
Access Control:
Implement access control measures in large hospitals to regulate and monitor entry.
The directives were discussed in a virtual meeting chaired by Union home Secretary Govind Mohan and health Secretary Apurva Chandra, with participation from senior officials including the director General of health services, Dr. Atul Goel. The meeting aimed to ensure that these recommendations are promptly adopted to enhance the safety and security of healthcare workers across India.
In response to the increasing concerns for the safety of healthcare professionals, particularly following the tragic RG Kar rape-murder case in Kolkata, the indian government has issued a series of stringent guidelines aimed at improving security and protecting healthcare workers. These measures are to be implemented by all states and union territories within two weeks.
Key Recommendations by the Central Government:
Formation of Internal Committees:
Establish committees within hospitals to address security, violence prevention, and sexual harassment issues.
Strict Visitor Rules:
Implement and enforce stringent regulations for hospital visitors to enhance security.
Infrastructure Upgrades:
Improve basic infrastructure, especially for night-duty staff, to ensure a safer working environment.
Increased police Patrols:
Enhance police presence and patrols around hospitals and medical institutions.
Security Audits:
Conduct joint security audits with district authorities to identify and address deficiencies in existing security arrangements.
Regular Security Checks:
Ensure regular checks of all hired security and service staff.
Control Rooms and CCTV Monitoring:
Set up control rooms in large medical institutions to monitor CCTV networks and secure data storage. Ensure distress calls are promptly attended to.
Mock Drills:
Conduct regular security drills similar to fire safety drills to prepare for emergency situations.
Security Personnel Training:
Upgrade the training and capacity of security personnel to handle their duties more effectively.
Patient Facilitators:
Employ patient facilitators to assist with patient transport, reducing the load on security and healthcare staff.
Bereavement Protocols:
Train doctors and healthcare workers in handling bereavement protocols, especially in emergency and casualty wards.
Institutional Safety Committees:
Create security and safety committees involving residents, students, and other personnel for continuous monitoring and emergency preparedness.
Nighttime Security Patrolling:
Implement routine patrolling at medical institutions during nighttime.
CCTV and Helpline Integration:
Install CCTV cameras in blind spots and integrate with the ‘112’ helpline for immediate assistance.
Access Control:
Implement access control measures in large hospitals to regulate and monitor entry.
The directives were discussed in a virtual meeting chaired by Union home Secretary Govind Mohan and health Secretary Apurva Chandra, with participation from senior officials including the director General of health services, Dr. Atul Goel. The meeting aimed to ensure that these recommendations are promptly adopted to enhance the safety and security of healthcare workers across India.