Lok Sabha Question No. 3253 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-12
Subject: Assaults on Doctors
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Prasun Banerjee, Khagen Murmu, Bhartruhari Mahtab, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Imtiaz Jaleel Syed, Rahul Ramesh Shewale, Sukanta Majumdar, Bheemrao Baswanthrao Patil, Asaduddin Owaisi, Raja Amareshwara Naik

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3253 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 TH JULY, 2019

## ASSAULTS ON DOCTORS

## 3253. SHRI PRASUN BANERJEE:

SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:

SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRI SYED IMTIAZ JALEEL:

SHRI RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE:

DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

SHRI B.B. PATIL:

SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  assaults  on  doctors  and  hospital  staff  have  been  reported  in  various  Gove hospitals across the country including recent incidents in West Bengal;
- (b) if so, the details of such cases reported during the last thre e years, hospital and State/UT -wise;
- (c) whether Indian Medical Association (IMA) has directed all its States the members to protests against such attack on docters across the country which led to the shutdown o Emergency services which result ed into death of patients, if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  implemented  the  recommendations  of  the  Inter - Ministerial Committee  constituted  in  the  Ministry  to  review  various  issues  including  issue  of  ass doctors, if so, th e details thereof;
- (e) whether there is urgent need for a specific legislation to protect doctors/health pr and
- (f) if so, the preventive steps taken/ being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a)& ( b) : Yes, incidents of strike by doctors because of alleged assault on doctor duty in various parts of the Country have come to the notice of the Government.

As per  Constitutional  provisions,  'Health'  and  'Law  & Order'  are  State  subjects. Therefore, the concerned State/UT Government are required to take measures to pre such  incidents  under  the  appropriate  legal  framework  applicable  in  the  respe State/UT. Details of such cases is not maintained centrally.

(c):     As per the information received from IMA, IMA had appealed for withdrawa non essential services on 17 th June, 2019 from 6:00 AM to 6:00 AM next day, as a token protest. The emergency services and critical services were unaffected.

(d) to (f): Union  Ministry of Health & Family Welfare  ha s issued an advisory to all States/UTs to consider immediate measures for inculcating an effective sense of se among the doctors on duty, as under:

- i. Security of sensitive hospitals to be managed by a d esignated and trained force,
- ii. Installation of CCTV cameras and round the clock Quick Reaction Teams with effective communication/security gadgets particularly at Casualty, Emergency areas having high footfalls,
- iii. Well- equipped centralized control room for monitoring and quick response,
- iv. Entry restriction for undesirable persons,
- v. Institutional FIR against assaulters,
- vi. Display of legislation protecting doctors in every hospital and police statio
- vii. Appointment of Nodal Officer to monitor medical negligence,
- viii. Expeditious  filling  up  of  vacant  posts  of  doctors  and  para  medical  sta hospitals/Primary  Health  Centres  to  avoid  excessive  burden/pressure  on  doct and to maintain global doctor - patient ratio,
- ix. Better  infrastructural  facilities  and  medical  equipment and  provision  of  extra monetary incentive for the doctors and para medical staff serving in hard/r areas as compared to major and metro cities with better career prospects, etc

Government  ha s constituted  a  Committee  to  examine  various  aspect s  of  a uniform legislative framework to address the issue of assault on clinical establishments and doctors on duty.

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