MHA asks state govts to take necessary measures for ensuring safety of healthcare workers

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday reiterated that it was the responsibility of all the state governments to take all necessary measures for ensuring the protection of healthcare professionals.

In a letter addressed to all the Chief Secretaries, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla observed that even a single incident of violence against healthcare workers at this juncture would create insecurity among the entire healthcare community. He called upon the state governments to consult the local chapters of the Indian Medical Association to formulate measures for the protection of healthcare workers.

Thereafter, Bhalla asked the states to take strict penal action against persons who obstruct health professionals in the discharge of their lawful services by invoking the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. He also noted that there had been instances where the family members of medical professionals suspected to have died because of COVID-19 had been barred from performing the final rites. The MHA observed that strict action must be taken in such cases. Furthermore, it requested the state governments to appoint nodal officers at the state and district level to redress any safety issue of medical professionals. 

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Union Cabinet approves ordinance

Addressing a press briefing earlier in the day, Union I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar announced that the Union Cabinet had approved an ordinance to protect the health workers. Basically, the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 has been amended to make an attack on health workers a cognizable and non-bailable offence. The investigation in such cases has to be completed within 30 days and the verdict will have to be delivered within one year. Assault on health workers will attract a penalty of Rs.50,000 to 2 lakh and a jail term of 3 months to 5 years. 

If it is a serious injury, an enhanced penalty in the form of Rs.1 to 5 lakh and a jail term ranging from 6 months to 7 years will apply. Moreover, twice the cost of the damaged property of healthcare workers will be recovered from the guilty. Javadekar also revealed that a decision had been taken by the Cabinet whereby non-COVID patients can be freely treated even in non-empanelled or COVID hospitals under the Ayushmann Bharat Yojana. 

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