The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a crucial advisory to all medical colleges and institutions across India. The advisory emphasizes the urgent need for these institutions to create a policy that ensures a safe and secure work environment for everyone on campus. This includes faculty members, students, and resident doctors.
Incident Prompting the Advisory
This advisory was issued following a tragic incident involving the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a government hospital in Kolkata. The incident has sparked widespread outrage, leading to strikes by resident doctors in several hospitals across the country. The NMC’s advisory aims to address such serious safety concerns within medical institutions.
Safety Concerns in Medical Colleges
The advisory highlights that there have been several reported incidents of violence against doctors in medical colleges in recent times. These incidents underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive safety policy that covers all areas within the college and hospital campuses.
Developing a Safety Policy
The NMC has requested all medical colleges to develop a policy that prioritizes the safety of all staff members. This policy should cover various aspects of campus safety, including:
Adequate Safety Measures: Ensure that there are sufficient safety measures in place at OPD (Outpatient Department), wards, casualty areas, hostels, and other open spaces on campus.
Lighting and Surveillance: The advisory stresses the importance of having well-lit corridors and campus areas, especially in the evenings. Sensitive areas should be monitored by CCTV cameras to enhance security.
Security Measures
The advisory also calls for the deployment of adequate security personnel, both male and female, at critical areas such as OPDs, wards, casualty departments, labor rooms, hostels, and residential quarters. This is to ensure that all staff members can work and move around the campus safely.
Handling Incidents of Violence
The NMC has instructed that any incidents of violence against medical students should be taken seriously and investigated promptly by the college management. In such cases, an FIR should be lodged with the police to ensure that the matter is handled with the gravity it deserves.
Furthermore, the NMC has mandated that a detailed action-taken report must be submitted to the National Medical Commission within 48 hours of any violent incident occurring on campus.
