Health ministry creates national portal to seek suggestion on safety and working conditions of medical staff

New Delhi: The health ministry has created a national portal to seek suggestions on the safety, working conditions and well-being of medical professionals in medical colleges and hospitals.

The suggestions will be collated for consideration of the National Task Force (NTF) which was set up on 20 August on the directions of the Supreme Court in view of Kolkata doctor rape and murder case. The incident sparked huge outrage in the medical community who have demanded security at the workplace.

The first meeting of the NTF held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of the Cabinet secretary. 

“There was elaborate and detailed discussion on various issues by the NTF members. The members also put forth their suggestions. The members informed that they have been approached directly by various stakeholders and have individually received almost 300 to 400 suggestions. A national portal has been created by the health ministry for seeking suggestions from individuals and different stakeholders across the country. It is operational as of today,” said the health ministry in a statement.

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A second round of meeting is scheduled for Wednesday to discuss short-term measures for the security of medical professionals working with state governments. The meeting will be co-chaired by the Union home secretary and health secretary.

The ministry has directed state governments to provide information on the security measures available in medical institutions.

The NTF must submit an interim report within three weeks and the final report within two months.

The Supreme Court, highlighting poor safety standards in medical establishments in an order last week, said that medical professionals who are posted for night-duty are not provided adequate resting spaces.

“More often, doctors rest in the patients’ room or in available public spaces. Duty rooms are scant. Separate duty rooms for male and female medical professionals are conspicuous by their absence in most health care establishments.”

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It said that lack of security personnel in medical care units is more of a norm than an exception. “More often than not, medical professionals, which includes young resident doctors, interns and nurses are left to handle unruly attenders. Open access to healthcare facilities leaves medical professionals vulnerable to undesirable elements. There is an absence or lack of properly functioning CCTV cameras to monitor ingress and egress to the hospital and to control access to sensitive areas,” the court said stressing other deficiences in the hospitals.