Kolkata: The state government on Saturday announced a series of Security measures for Female doctors work in hospitals. The measures announced on Saturday include creating safe zones for women and separate rest areas with toilets, regulating duty hours, ensuring the presence of women security personnel or volunteers and launching a mobile app called ‘Ratri Sathi’ to help women in distress make a direct SOS call to the nearest police station.
The measures were announced by the CM’s chief adviser Alapan Bandyopadhyay after Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with the chief secretary, home secretary and DGP to discuss how to make the working environment safer for women doctors following the rape and murder of the PGT doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital.
Bandyopadhyay said the measures would soon be announced by the state government and would be implemented as soon as possible. “The government is committed to providing safe working conditions for women working night shifts in all government hospitals, medical colleges, hostels and other institutions,” he said.
To ensure that no drunks enter these campuses, breathalyzer tests are conducted at the entrance gates and all staff and faculty members are required to carry an ID card so that police can more easily identify outsiders and deny them access to areas reserved for doctors and patients.
Bandyopadhyay said safe zones with CCTV surveillance would be created for women. While women doctors will be spared from night shifts as much as possible, the government has proposed teaching women doctors in pairs so that they feel safe in each other’s company.
“Working hours for women doctors should not exceed 12 hours and night shifts should be avoided as much as possible,” said Bandyopadhyay. He added that a special mobile app with alarm devices would be developed. The facility would be linked to local police stations. He also stressed the need to popularise helplines like 100 and 112 so that women can call them in case of emergency.
The state will encourage all departments to set up Visakha committees that will follow SC guidelines for complaints related to sexual assault. Even private organizations will be asked to follow norms on women’s safety.
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Although Mumbai is considered a safe city, female doctors face harassment and aggression at night. Incidents include drunken patients whistling at them and aggressive behaviour. The Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors has called for better security measures following a tragic incident in Kolkata. Night shifts are understaffed and under-staffed, causing concern among medical professionals.
