New Delhi: In a major boost to the security of doctors in union government hospital, the union
Health Ministry has directed that the security deployment in these hospitals be enhanced by 25 per cent at all these hospitals amid protests by resident doctors demanding a central law following the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a Kolkata hospital. The direction also said that apart from the standard security protocol, the deployment of marshals would also be approved based on individual demands by government hospitals after they conduct their security assessment.
Meanwhile the health ministry is of the view that bringing a central law based on the RG Kar case will not make any huge difference as the alleged rape and murder of the junior doctor at the Kolkata facility was not a case of patient-doctor violence. The health ministry added that already 26 states and Union Territories including West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Assam, Karnataka and Kerala have passed legislations to protect healthcare personnel. In all these states these offences are cognisable and non-bailable. Noting that almost all states have laws in place catering to the demand of security, the Centre ruled out bringing in a ‘Central Protection Act’ that provides equal protection to healthcare workers through a uniform framework.
