New Delhi : The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Mohfw) has issued strict directions to the heads of government hospitals across the country to file an institutional First Information Report (FIR) within six hours of any incident of violence. This directive, issued in a memorandum by the Mohfw’s Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), comes in the wake of nationwide protests by doctors triggered by the recent rape and murder of the female doctor at Kolkata’s R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The Union Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said, “In the event of any violence against any health care worker while on duty, the Head of Institution shall be responsible for filing an Institutional FIR within a maximum of 6 hours of the incident.” “Recently, it has been observed that violence has become common against doctors and other healthcare staff in government hospitals. A number of health workers suffer physical violence during the course of their duty. Many are threatened or exposed to verbal aggression. Most of this violence is done by either the patient or the patient’s attendants,” said the memorandum. The DGHS also said that all Central Government hospitals should maintain a registry of such incidents and bring it to the notice of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.