Kolkata Rape Murder Case: After the Kolkata rape case in West Bengal, the Health Ministry has taken a big step in terms of the safety of doctors. On Wednesday (August 21, 2024), the Union Health Ministry has constituted the National Task Force i.e. NTF (on the orders of the Supreme Court).
The NTF will submit an interim report within three weeks and a second final report within two months. The National Task Force (NTF) will prepare effective recommendations to address issues of concern relating to safety, working conditions and welfare of doctors and other related matters.
… then NTF will work on these aspects
- Prevention of violence against medical professionals and provision of safe working conditions, as well as enforcement of baggage and person screening systems at every hospital entrance to ensure that weapons are not carried inside the hospital or institution, also include preventing intoxicated persons from entering the premises of the medical institution.
- Provision of separate rest rooms in each department, classification of rooms for men and women. Accordingly, there will be classification of rooms for (a) male doctors, (b) female doctors, (c) male nurses, (d) female nurses and (e) a gender-neutral one so that they can rest. Along with this, arrangements for good ventilation in the room and arrangement of adequate bedding are also included.
- Proper drinking water facilities, screening through the use of biometrics and facial recognition are also included. Ensuring adequate lighting at all places in the hospital and if it is a hospital attached to a medical college, then it will be arranged at all places on the campus.
- Installing CCTV cameras at all entry and exit points of hospitals and in corridors leading to all patient rooms. If the hostels or rooms of medical professionals are far from the hospital, arrange transport for those who wish to travel from their place of residence to the hospital from 10 pm to 6 am.
- Appointment of trained social workers in all medical institutions, conducting workshops for all staff of medical institutions, including doctors, nurses and assistants. Formation of “employee safety committees” in each medical institution, comprising doctors, interns, residents and nurses, who can conduct audits every three months on institutional safety measures.
- Incorporating additional requirements on safety measures for medical professionals. Establishing police posts to ensure security in hospitals. Along with this, a national protocol for dignified and safe working conditions for interns, residents, senior residents, doctors, nurses and all medical professionals will be implemented. Work will be done on the prevention of sexual violence against medical professionals. Ensuring a helpline number for every medical institution which is open 24 x 7 for medical professionals and provides emergency crisis facilities.
Who all were included in NTF?
1. Cabinet Secretary, Government of India – Chairman
2. Home Secretary, Government of India
3. Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare – Member Secretary, Government of India
4. Chairman, National Medical Commission
5. Chairman, National Board of Examinations
6. Surgeon Vice Admiral Aarti Sareen, AVSM, VSM, Director General Medical Services (Navy)
7. Dr. D. Nageswara Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospital, Hyderabad
8. Dr. M. Srinivas, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi
9. Dr. Pratima Murthy, Director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru
10. Dr. Govind Dutt Puri, Executive Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur
11. Dr. Saumitra Rawat, Chairman, Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplantation and Member, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi
12. Professor Anita Saxena, Vice Chancellor, Pandit BD Sharma Medical University, Rohtak, formerly Dean of Academics and Head of Cardiothoracic Centre and Head of Department of Cardiology at AIIMS Delhi
13. Dr Pallavi Saple, Dean, Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai
14. Dr. Padma Shrivastava, formerly Professor in the Department of Neurology at AIIMS Delhi. Currently Chairperson of Neurology at Paras Health Gurgaon
