Guidelines issued to ensure safe workplace for doctors, medical students in Odisha

Bhubaneswar (19/09/2024): The Odisha government has issued guidelines to ensure safe workplace for doctors and medical students. The state Health and Family Welfare department in its notification has advised the hospitals and medical colleges to stop the use of their institution premises for thoroughfare by constructing perimeter boundary walls with entry and exit gates. The guidelines stated that all employees/workers of the health institution should be provided with an ID card.

Dress codes where applicable, should be strictly followed.

Visitors pass system is to be followed for indoor patients.

Only two entry passes are to be issued per patient, for attending the patient during official visiting hours. The department suggested that the attendants entering the ward should be frisked by the internal security guards to check for possession of any dangerous or objectionable items. The healthcare institutions to install CCTV cameras at strategic locations of the hospitals including all hostels, main gates, roads, roundabouts, stairwells and on each floor of the hostel for monitoring of the activities in the hospital.

Security guards must be posted in all OPDs and 24x7 outside wards.

As far as possible, both male and female security guards must be posted.

The security guards should patrol the campus and take steps for the removal of unauthorized vehicles and vendors.

If required, security hubs may be set up near high-case load departments.

The telephone number of these hubs may be made available through the display of signage,” advised the department. It further asked the healthcare institutions to create a control room for security personnel 24x7 to keep watch on CCTV footage on regular basis. The department further suggested that a dedicated public redressal system be developed where aggrieved attendants may approach the Superintendent or Head of the institutions at the time of any emergency.

The designated phone number should be displayed in conspicuous places on the campus. The health institutions have been asked to maintain a close liaison with the IIC or the Officer-in-Charge of the nearest police stations “In all Government Medical College Hospitals, a police outpost may be established within the premises of the institution.

At least one female police staff must be available on duty at all times,” reads the guidelines. The department also advised regular safety audits at the healthcare institutions to identify and address the potential security risks. Healthcare institutions have been advised to develop a clear emergency response plan which may include panic buttons, emergency phones, mobile apps etc.

to respond quickly to any threat and in emergency situations. “Any incident of violence against medical students should be promptly investigated by the college management and an FIR should be lodged with the Police within six hours by the Head of the Institution.

A detailed action taken report on any incident of violence should invariably be sent to the National Medical Commission (NMC), within 48 hours of the incident,” directed the H&FW Department. The department further suggested that all the district superintendents of Police shall take immediate and appropriate action as per law against miscreants in case of any violent incident. An Institutional Monitoring committee chaired by the institution head should also be constituted to undertake a monthly review of all the above measures and take follow-up action thereon. The committee should be chaired by the head of the institution and should have representatives of doctors/faculty, paramedics, students and other relevant groups.