Taking a cue from the brutal rape and murder of a female doctor in a government-run hospital in Kolkata early this month, Uttar Pradesh has issued stringent guidelines to all hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical institutions to be followed rigorously with immediate effect.

In compliance with an order from the Supreme Court, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Heath Brajesh Pathak has issued instructions to the hospital management in this regard. He asserted that the safety of the hospital staff is the top priority of the state government.

Brajesh Pathak said generally, the people who are seen in hospitals do not have any patients admitted. They stay in the hospitals overnight to rest. Action should be taken against such people. Identity cards should be issued to the attendants of patients for night entry in the wards, ICUs, resting rooms, emergency wards, and OPDs.

He said during night duty, women doctors and staff nurses have to go to other blocks and wards to see patients. Security arrangements should be strengthened to ensure their safe movement. Proper lighting arrangements should be made in the hospital premises, residential areas, and hostels at night so that no anti-social element can take advantage of the darkness and enter inside.

For security in the hospital premises during night time, surprise inspection should be done by the security officers. The attendants who sleep on the hospital premises at night should also be questioned from time to time.

Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak directed that the control room should be activated for 24-hour security on the hospital premises. Necessary security personnel should be deployed in the control room. Retired army personnel should be recruited to increase the security of the hospital premises. Coordination and regular communication should be established with the police station nearest to the hospital.

He said under all legal provisions, an internal sexual harassment committee should be formed for women doctors and women employees in the hospital. CCTV cameras installed in the hospital premises should be checked from time to time. The number of cameras should be sufficient and all should be functional. Police verification of contracts and outsourcing staff in the hospital must be done.

He said in case of violence against doctors or medical staff in the hospital premises, an FIR should be lodged by the in-charge of the hospital or the person authorised by him. This will be called institutional FIR. The report will be filed by the hospital and not by the affected person.