Lok Sabha Question No. 988 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Violence against Healthcare Professionals
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Parvatagouda Chandanagouda Gaddigoudar

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 988 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH SEPTEMBER, 2020

## VIOLENCE AGAINST HEA LTHCARE PROFESSIONAL S

## 988. SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJ AY GANDHI: SHRI P.C. GADDIGOUDA R:

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

- (a) whether the government has a data registry on the reports of violence against hea professionals and health workers; if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the number of cases that involved violence on healthcare professionals working for Covid - 19 patients;
- (c) the steps taken to protect the healthcare professionals and the punitive action taken against thosefound involved in such attacks;
- (d) whether the Government has asked the States to appoint nodal officers to provide security to doctors and frontline workers;
- (e) if so, the action taken by the States thereon, State - wise and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (f)  whether  the  Government  provided compensationfor  damage  to  vehicles  and  property  of healthcare workers during the pandemic; if so, details of the compensation paid so far; and
- (g) the number of Covid - 19 affected healthcare workers in the country, State/UT - wise?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF S TATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) & (b) No data registry on the reports of violence against health care professionals workers is maintained at Central level.  As such, the number of cases that in volved violence on healthcare professionals working for Covid - 19 patients, is not available centrally.
- (c) Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 has recently been amended by an Ordinance promulgated on 22.04.2020 to provide safety to the healthcare service personne l who are at the forefront in the fight  against  Covid - 19  pandemic.  S tringent  provisions  laid  down  in  the  Ordinance  to  act  as effective deterrents are as under: -
-  making acts of violence cognizable and non - bailable offence;
-  commission or abetment of acts of violence shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three months, but which may extend to five years with fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees, but which may extend lakh rupees;
-  for causing gr ievous hurt, punishment shall be with imprisonment for a term which sha not be less than six months, but which may extend to seven years, and with fine w shall not be less than one lakh rupees, but which may extend to five lakh rupees;
-  in addition, t he person convicted shall also be liable to pay compensation to the vic and twice the amount of fair market value of the damaged property or the loss cause determined by the Court;

Public health and hospitals being a State subject, it is the responsibity of the States/UTs to implement the provisions of the Ordinance.

(d) & (e) Ministry of Home Affairs has requested State Governments / UT Administrations appoint Nodal Officers at State / UT level and at District level, who would be available 24*7 to redress  any  safety  issue  on  the  functioning  of  medical  professionals.  They  should  als immediate and strict action in case any incident of violence takes place.

In addition to this, States / UTs have been requested to widely publiciz e details of preventive measures taken and appointment of Nodal Officers, amongst the medical fraternity, includi local chapters of the IMA, as well as to the public at large, to ensure compliance at gro A copy of the D.O. letter dt. 22.04 .2020 issued by the Home Secretary, in this regard, can be accessed at the following link: - https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/DO%20Lr.%20Dt.%2022.4.2020%20to%20Chief%20 Secretaries%20Administrators%20DGPs%20reg.%20security%20to%20healthcare%20professio nals.pdf

(f) & (g) Public health a nd hospitals being a State subject, the matter of providing compensation for  damage  to  vehicles  and  property  of  healthcare  workers  during  the  pandemic is  to  be considered by the States/UTs and as such, data in this regard is not maintained centra The number of Covid - 19 affected healthcare workers in the country, is also not maintained centr .