Doctors in Telangana are set to receive enhanced safety measures as the government plans to deploy special protection forces in government hospitals. This move comes after increasing concerns over the security of medical staff.
A group of junior doctors met with Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha on Monday to discuss the necessary precautions following the tragic rape and murder of a medical student at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. This incident has sparked widespread protests among the medical community.
In response to these concerns, the Health Minister held a high-level review meeting with officials from the Public Health Department and Vaidya Vidhana Parishad. During the meeting, the minister instructed officials to improve security, sanitation, diet, and laundry services in hospitals. He also emphasized the need for a task force to visit hospitals regularly and submit reports every 15 days on the condition of the facilities and staff attendance.
The junior doctors had also put forward several urgent demands to the minister. They requested the amendment of GO 103, which pertains to the special protection force for government hospitals. Minister Rajanarsimha assured them that the amendment would be released by Wednesday. He also promised to address issues related to duty rooms and restrooms and prioritize the installation of CCTV cameras and security audits in hospitals.
In addition to these actions, the junior doctors from Osmania and Gandhi Medical Colleges staged protests at Osmania Medical College, demanding justice for the murdered student. They expressed their demands by pasting sticky notes on a large cloth as a form of protest. The junior doctors also met with Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar to present their concerns.
Despite the ongoing talks between the doctors and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, no agreement has been reached. As a result, the Federation of All-India Medical Association has decided to continue the strike.
