Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra on Wednesday issued a directive to all States and Union Territories (UTs) demanding an action-taken report by September 10 on the implementation of safety and security measures for doctors and healthcare workers.

The move comes in the wake of a recent Supreme Court order calling for urgent actions to ensure the safety of medical professionals nationwide.

In a letter written to chief secretaries and directors general of police of all States and UTs, the Secretary outlined several key measures to be prioritised by States and UTs, including the identification of high-risk establishments, security audits, CCTV surveillance, background checks, and bereavement protocols, among others. States and UTs have been urged to identify hospitals with high patient footfall and categorise them as high-priority establishments for security enhancements. The Health Secretary recommended regular security audits, conducted in consultation with local health and police authorities, to assess and improve existing security measures in hospitals.

Special attention should be given to areas within hospitals that are prone to security breaches, such as emergency rooms, triage areas, intensive care units (ICUs), and labour rooms, according to Chandra.

“Proper training and establishment of bereavement protocols for all doctors and healthcare workers to handle intense and emotional grief situations,” the top official said.

Chandra noted that several states have already initiated actions in line with the suggestions provided in a previous communication dated August 23.

He also acknowledged that some states have gone beyond the ministry of health and family welfare’s (MOHFW) recommendations, implementing additional measures to enhance security in healthcare settings.

The conference, held on August 28, deliberated on the provision of a safe working environment in all medical institutions in the wake of recent violent incidents, including the horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The heinous act had triggered nationwide protests among resident doctors across the country seeking a safe environment for the medical professionals in the hospitals.

Dr Rohan Krishnan and Dr Manish Jhangra, President and co-Founder respectively of Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) have sought implementation of the Central Protection Act for the Health professional.

The bill was introduced in Parliament in 2022 to prevent violence against healthcare professionals and clinical establishments. The Bill’s provisions include defining acts of violence against doctors, mandatory reporting of acts of violence, and a grievance redressal mechanism among others.