Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Saturday advised the States and the Union Territories to register cases against those involved in assaulting doctors and healthcare professionals.
“In the present circumstances, it has become imperative that strict action be taken against those who assault healthcare professionals,” he said in a letter to the States and the Union Territories.
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He said institutional first information reports (FIRs) should be registered against the offenders and such cases should be fast tracked.
“You may also like to invoke provisions of the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2020, where applicable,” he said.
Mr. Bhalla said a close watch should be kept on any objectionable content in the social media which might exacerbate such situations. “Concerted efforts should be made through posters in hospitals, social media, etc. to emphasise the valuable contribution being made by doctors and other healthcare personnel in the fight against COVID-19,” he said.
He urged the States and the Union Territories to take all necessary measures on a priority basis and proactively engage with members of the medical fraternity to assuage their concerns.
In connection with the security concerns related to healthcare establishments and professionals, the Union Home Ministry had earlier issued detailed advisories on April 27 and June 9.
“Any incident of threat or assault on doctors or healthcare professionals may dampen their morale and create a sense of insecurity among them. This may adversely affect the healthcare response system,” said the letter, reiterating the security measures to be taken.
