Karnataka Govt Implements New Safety Measures for Medical Professionals

The Karnataka government has proposed several safety measures to protect doctors and medical staff following a recent incident in Kolkata. The measures, discussed at a meeting chaired by Minister for Medical Education Sharanprakash Patil, include increased lighting, CCTV installation, self-defense training, and the use of AI surveillance in hospitals.

The Karnataka government on Friday recommended various measures to ensure the safety and security of hospital doctors and staff across the state.

At a meeting led by Minister for Medical Education Sharanprakash Patil, safety protocols for doctors, nurses, and hospital employees were scrutinized. The doctors' association was tasked with drafting a document for the Department of Medical Education to standardize an advisory.

Following the recent tragic rape and murder of a woman doctor in Kolkata, the safety policies for medical professionals were reviewed, said Dr. Shobha Rathod, Director of Medical Education.

'Acting on the minister's instructions, we have met with the directors of governmental institutes and super-specialty hospitals to identify safety gaps for our doctors,' Dr. Rathod stated.

Per the Department of Medical Education, Karnataka has 71 medical colleges, including 22 government institutions, along with numerous nursing and paramedical institutes. The department also evaluated existing security lapses.

After the Nirbhaya advisory, the department has been urging that there be no unlit areas and that CCTV cameras be installed comprehensively. Rathod emphasized the need for stringent background checks on security staff.

Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) committees, present in all institutes, have been diligent in their meetings to prevent harassment incidents, Rathod noted.

Artificial intelligence is also being utilized to enhance safety measures for doctors. The discussions included self-defense training for doctors and counseling for stress management.

'We are encouraging the use of pink boxes for unbiased complaint reporting, allowing administration to address issues,' Rathod added.

'The 'code white' system, tested at the Indian Institute of Nephro-Urology, is another initiative to ensure quick alerts in case of any incident,' she said.

(With inputs from agencies.)