HOME MINISTRY ASKED STATES TO ENSURE SECURITY TO MEDICAL STAFF AND FRONTLINE WORKERS
Bureau,Odishabarta
New Delhi:The home ministry has asked states to ensure security to healthcare professionals, medical staff and frontline workers to prevent violence against them.
The union home secretary Ajay Bhalla, in a letter to all the chief secretaries of the states, said in spite of the security measures some incidents of violence were reported from different parts of the country against healthcare professionals/ frontline workers.
As the entire medical fraternity is risking their lives to render services to the people affected with deadly coronavirus, it is the responsibility of the states to protect them from attacks.
Bhalla said even a stray incident of violence against healthcare professionals is likely to create a sense of insecurity amongst the fraternity.
He said the Supreme Court of India has said that attacks on the health personnel must end forthwith and it is the utmost duty of the states to protect the medical staff from being attacked by elements. They are the warriors in the fight against deadly coronavirus, the apex court has said.
The union home secretary said the measures to be taken must be in concurrence with the local chapters of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). He said the IMA should be kept apprised of the actions taken to create a sense of security among the health fraternity.
He drew the attention to Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 which provides for strict penalties against any person who obstructs any officer or employee of the Central Government or the State Government, or a person authorised by the National Authority or State Authority or District Authority in the discharge of his functions under this Act.
Bhalla urged all State/UT and District authorities to invoke the provisions of the Act, or any other law in force, to take strict penal action against the offenders, who obstruct Government health officials, or other health professionals and/ or related persons, who are authorized under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, in the discharge of their lawful services.
He advised the State Governments/ UT Administrations to appoint Nodal Officers at State/UT level and at District level, who would be available round the clock to redress any safety issue on the functioning of medical professionals.
Details of preventive measures taken and appointment of Nodal Officers should be widely publicized amongst the medical fraternity, including the local chapters of the IMA, as well as to the public at large, to ensure compliance at ground level, Bhalla added.
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