State govt out to shore up security for docs in hosps

♦ GO to deploy special protection forces in govt hospitals

♦ Jr doctors meet Health Minister to discuss safety measures

♦ Protests sparked by rape-murder of a medical student in Kolkata

♦ High-level meeting held to review hospital security and services

♦ Task force to visit hospitals and report on conditions bi-weekly

♦ Damodar Rajanarsimha assures amendment of GO 103

♦ Prompt disbursal of salaries for hospital staff

♦ Minister prioritises installation of CCTV cameras and security audits

Hyderabad: Doctors in Telangana will now get more safety and security as the government will issue a GO for deploying special protection forces in government hospitals.

A delegation of junior doctors met Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha on Monday to discuss the precautionary measures in government hospitals in the wake of increased attacks on the medical staff. The junior doctors have been protesting against the rape-murder of the medical student at RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata.

The minister had a high-level review meeting with the Public Health Department and Vaidya Vidhana Parishad at the Secretariat. He directed officials to take steps to provide additional security, sanitation, diet, and laundry services in hospitals under the TVVP and PH departments. In addition to this, the task force committee has been directed to visit the hospitals continuously and submit a report every 15 days to examine the current condition of the hospital buildings and the attendance tables of the staff. The minister directed officials to take steps to ensure that the salaries of staff working in hospitals are paid every month.

Earlier, the junior doctors represented the minister with immediate demands to be addressed by the government. The minister assured to amend GO 103 (special protection force for government hospitals) and release it by Wednesday. Regarding the Central Protection Act, he said that he would send the representation to the Centre. With regard to duty rooms and restrooms, the minister said he would take it as a priority and asked to elaborate on the issues in further representations. He said he would ensure CCTV cameras are installed in hospitals, took the issue of security audits as a priority, and agreed to include JUDA members in the committee.

Earlier, junior doctors of Osmania and Gandhi Medical Colleges protested on the premises of Osmania Medical College. The students demanded justice for the raped and murdered medico. The medical students pasted sticky notes on a big cloth demanding justice. The JUDAs team met Union Minister for State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar and represented the RG Kar incident and their demands.

With the talks between doctors and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare concluding without reaching an agreement, the Federation of All-India Medical Association has decided to continue the strike.