Bengaluru doctors welcome draft bill that ensures their safety

BENGALURU: After the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare came out with a draft legislation titled ‘The Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of violence and damage to property) Bill, 2019’, many doctors in the city have appreciated the move.

Frequent cases of violence against healthcare professionals and clinical establishments across the country resulted in the ministry introducing the draft.  

The draft legislation proposes to make acts of violence against doctors, nurses, midwives, medical students, ambulance drivers and helpers a non-bailable offence. The bill also seeks to penalise offenders with imprisonment for not less than six months and it can also extend up to five years, with a fine between Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh.

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Dr Sudarshan Ballal, chairman, Manipal Hospitals, said, “Introducing a law is much-needed and making it a non-bailable offence is an appreciable move.”

The draft also states that if the accused causes grievous harm, imprisonment could be between three years to ten years, along with a fine between Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

In addition, it also says that a compensation be paid by the convicted person — Rs 1 lakh for causing harm to healthcare professionals and Rs 5 lakh for grievous injuries and twice the amount for damage to property.

Dr C Ramachandra, director, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, said, “People should understand that doctors work for the welfare of society.”

The draft also stated that any objections or suggestions can be written to the ministry within 30 days.

Dr Sangeetha Rao, a gynaecologist at Sita Bhateja Speciality Hospital said, “Many doctors are frightened now. Doctors and hospitals should be provided with more security.”