No separate legislation to ban violence towards docs, healthcare professionals: Centre

By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Central authorities has determined to not enact separate laws for prohibiting violence towards docs and different healthcare professionals, the Rajya Sabha was knowledgeable on Tuesday.

In a written reply, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya stated {that a} draft of the Healthcare Services Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019 was ready and was additionally circulated for consultations.

“Thereafter it was decided not to enact a separate Legislation for prohibiting violence against doctors and other health care professionals,” he stated to a query on the explanations for the withdrawal of the Bill, which meant to guard healthcare professionals and establishments.

Mandaviya stated that the matter was additional mentioned with related ministries and departments of presidency in addition to all stakeholders, and an ordinance specifically The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 was promulgated on April 22, 2020.

However, the federal government, on September 28, 2020, handed the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2020 below which acts of violence towards healthcare personnel throughout any scenario have been thought-about cognizable and non-bailable offences.

Speaking with TNIE, Dr Rohan Krishnan, National Chairman, FAIMA Doctors Association, stated that there have been many instances of violence towards docs and well being professionals previously few months inside the federal government hospitals, however the union well being ministry has not taken their demand to have a separate legislation for offering security and safety to healthcare employees and docs significantly.

“The government needed us during the Covid-19 pandemic and came out with rules and regulations. We also felt safe and secure. But now that Covid-19 is declining and we were able to bring normalcy, the government is showing its true colours. It is shameful,” he stated.

“The government is not standing up to its promise of bringing a separate law to prohibit violence against doctors and healthcare professionals,” he added.

“On the one hand, it has failed to provide mental and physical safety and security to the doctors and healthcare professionals; on the other hand, instead of having verbal communication with us regarding this matter, the government is denying any scope of providing a separate law in the future. This is a very serious issue. We will raise this issue at every level,” Dr Krishnan stated.

Under the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, the fee or abetment of acts of violence or harm or loss to any property is punishable with imprisonment for a time period of three months to 5 years, and with a superb of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2,00,000.

In case of inflicting grievous harm, imprisonment shall be for a time period of six months to seven years and with a superb of Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 5,00,000.

In addition, the offender shall even be liable to pay compensation to the sufferer and twice the truthful market worth for harm to property.

Since, legislation and order is a state topic, State, and Union Territory governments additionally take acceptable steps to guard healthcare professionals/establishments below provisions below the Indian Penal Code (IPC)/Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the minister stated.

To one other query on the variety of safety guards employed/outsourced by authorities hospitals within the nation, the Minister of State for Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar stated that public well being and hospitals are state topics, due to this fact no such information is maintained centrally.

NEW DELHI: The Central authorities has determined to not enact separate laws for prohibiting violence towards docs and different healthcare professionals, the Rajya Sabha was knowledgeable on Tuesday.

In a written reply, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya stated {that a} draft of the Healthcare Services Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019 was ready and was additionally circulated for consultations.

“Thereafter it was decided not to enact a separate Legislation for prohibiting violence against doctors and other health care professionals,” he stated to a query on the explanations for the withdrawal of the Bill, which meant to guard healthcare professionals and establishments.

Mandaviya stated that the matter was additional mentioned with related ministries and departments of presidency in addition to all stakeholders, and an ordinance specifically The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 was promulgated on April 22, 2020.

However, the federal government, on September 28, 2020, handed the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2020 below which acts of violence towards healthcare personnel throughout any scenario have been thought-about cognizable and non-bailable offences.

Speaking with TNIE, Dr Rohan Krishnan, National Chairman, FAIMA Doctors Association, stated that there have been many instances of violence towards docs and well being professionals previously few months inside the federal government hospitals, however the union well being ministry has not taken their demand to have a separate legislation for offering security and safety to healthcare employees and docs significantly.

“The government needed us during the Covid-19 pandemic and came out with rules and regulations. We also felt safe and secure. But now that Covid-19 is declining and we were able to bring normalcy, the government is showing its true colours. It is shameful,” he stated.

“The government is not standing up to its promise of bringing a separate law to prohibit violence against doctors and healthcare professionals,” he added.

“On the one hand, it has failed to provide mental and physical safety and security to the doctors and healthcare professionals; on the other hand, instead of having verbal communication with us regarding this matter, the government is denying any scope of providing a separate law in the future. This is a very serious issue. We will raise this issue at every level,” Dr Krishnan stated.

Under the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, the fee or abetment of acts of violence or harm or loss to any property is punishable with imprisonment for a time period of three months to 5 years, and with a superb of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2,00,000.

In case of inflicting grievous harm, imprisonment shall be for a time period of six months to seven years and with a superb of Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 5,00,000.

In addition, the offender shall even be liable to pay compensation to the sufferer and twice the truthful market worth for harm to property.

Since, legislation and order is a state topic, State, and Union Territory governments additionally take acceptable steps to guard healthcare professionals/establishments below provisions below the Indian Penal Code (IPC)/Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the minister stated.

To one other query on the variety of safety guards employed/outsourced by authorities hospitals within the nation, the Minister of State for Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar stated that public well being and hospitals are state topics, due to this fact no such information is maintained centrally.