Delhi: Health Ministry Directs Govt Hospitals To File FIR Within 6 Hours For Assaults On Healthcare Workers

New Delhi: The Directorate General of Health Services under the Ministry of Health on Friday issued an office memorandum directing all government hospitals to file an institutional FIR within six hours of any violence against any healthcare worker.

About The Origin Of The Directive

The direction comes in the wake of the nationwide agitation over the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at a hospital in Kolkata and the alleged delay in the registration of a case in the matter. In the direction, sent to the directors and medical superintendents of all central government hospitals, institutes, medical colleges and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi and other AIIMs, the DGHs observed that “violence has become common against doctors and other healthcare staff in government hospitals”.

Stating that “a number of health workers suffer physical violence during the course of duty” and that “many are threatened or exposed to verbal aggression”, the DGHS said “most of this violence is perpetrated by either the patient or their attendants”.

In view of this, the directive from the Ministry said, “In the event of any violence against any health care worker while on duty, the Head of Institution shall be responsible for filing an institutional FIR within a maximum of six hours of the incident”.

About The Meeting That Took Place Between Health Minister J.P. Nadda & A Delegation Of Indian Medical Association

Incidentally, the Indian Medical Association had in a recent meeting with Health Minister J.P. Nadda flagged the issue of safety of healthcare workers in hospitals. The IMA, which is the largest organisation of doctors in the country, had in the meeting demanded enactment of a special central law for preventing attacks and violence against the medical fraternity. It had also demanded that since there are many lady doctors now, hospitals be also declared as “safe zones” which require certain security measures.