On Wednesday, September 4, Central Health Secretary Apurva Chandra issued instructions to all states and union territories (UTs) to submit an action report by September 10 on the safety measures being implemented for doctors and healthcare workers.

Supreme Court’s Directive on Healthcare Workers’ Safety

This directive follows a recent Supreme Court order that emphasized the urgent need for corrective actions to ensure the safety of medical professionals across the country.

Doctors Demand Security

In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of all states and UTs, Chandra expressed gratitude for their participation in a recent video conference on this important issue. The conference, held on August 28, focused on ensuring a safe working environment in all medical institutions, especially in light of recent violent incidents, including the horrific rape and murder of a junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

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Key Demands from the States

The Health Secretary outlined several key measures that states and UTs should prioritize, including identifying high-risk establishments, conducting security audits, installing CCTV surveillance, performing background checks, and following grief protocols.

States and UTs have been urged to identify hospitals with high patient traffic and classify them as high-priority establishments for enhanced security. The Health Secretary recommended conducting regular security audits in consultation with local health and police officials to assess and improve existing security measures.

According to Chandra, special attention should be given to areas in hospitals where security breaches are more likely, such as emergency rooms, triage areas, intensive care units (ICUs), and delivery rooms.