New Delhi   

Delhi Govt. to bring Bill on security for medical staff

NEW DELHI: In a major move to ensure that medical staff working in the Capital’s hospitals are safe and have a good work environment, the State Health and Family Welfare Ministry will be introducing a Bill in the upcoming session of the Delhi Assembly recommending three years’ imprisonment and Rs.10,000 fine for anyone attacking on-duty medical staff and destroying hospital property.

Delhi Health and Family Welfare Minister Yoganand Shastri said: “Medical staff in our government hospitals have been working under tremendous pressure because of the increased number of cases of assault against them by the relatives of patients. They also often damage hospital property. Several patients have to suffer because of the manpower lost due to strikes which result from these attacks. We feel there is a need to bring in adequate measures to ensure that the trend is not allowed to continue.”

Welcoming the move, Delhi Medical Council member Dr. Anil Bansal said: “Doctors and other medical staff have been demanding strict action against those who attack medical staff and damage hospital property. We are encouraged by the latest move and hope that this proves to an adequate deterrent and improves the work condition. This should be a cognisable offence which is non-bailable.”

Meanwhile, much to the relief of patients, resident doctors at Bara Hindu Rao Hospital called off their five-day-old strike on Monday after the authorities agreed to increase security and also began talks about setting up a police booth in the hospital.

“The hospital has asked for private security guards to ensure that the medical staffs do not face harassment. The hospital authorities claimed that they were also working at setting up a permanent police post,” said Resident Doctors’ Association joint secretary Dr. Munna Vishwakarma.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

JNU gets a new Eurasian cinema club
Looking for quality, meaningful roles
Expel Katara, says Parliamentary panel
Mother’s worst fear comes true
Delhi Govt. to bring Bill on security for medical staff
Gujarat riots’ victims do not want to return home: Survey
Physiotherapy Day observed
An attempt to fool people, says Goel
BJP sends relief material for Bihar flood victims
PM, Sonia hailed for NSG waiver
Judicial custody for govt. officials
No unnecessary sympathies in admission: court
Bidhuri resigns from NCP posts
Jewellery exhibition from September 20
Notice on denial of school admission
Progress on new Metro line
Delhi to get 100 flyovers, 10,000 low-floor buses
TDSAT issues notice to Sun TV on Arasu Cable’s petition
Apex court notice to State on Karnataka plea
SC notice to Centre, A.P. on State’s plea on tribunal
Court orders reinstatement of BSF Naik
Tracing the Mahatma’s visit to Shimla
Centre accepts High Court proposal
‘In situ’ split liver transplant surgery conducted successfully
Towards a noble cause
DUSU executive panel poll on Sept. 29
MCD to rehabilitate slum dwellers
Paintings exhibition vandalised
Engineer, mother attacked during robbery bid
Bus tramples two sisters
Burglary cases solved; seven arrested
Power cuts: Government goes into damage control mode
Alarming increase in dengue cases
Car rams into road divider, three injured
BSES bags major awards
In the capital today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu