Gauhati HC asks Assam govt to specify steps to curb attacks on medical workers

GUWAHATI:

Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam government to specify within two weeks measures taken by the government or the measures it proposes to take to ensure that incidents of attacks on medical workers “do not happen in future.”

The Court’s directive came after it took note of the alleged brutal attack on frontline medical workers by attendants of a COVID patient and group of persons at Udali Model Hospital in Hojai district of central Assam on June 1, 2021.

The Court was hearing a letter petition in which it was stated that a doctor, Seuj Kumar Senapati was brutally attacked by the attendants following the death of a patient suffering from COVID and pneumonia at Udali Model Hospital.

Subsequently, advocate general of the state, D. Saikia, apprised the court that as far as the incident of Udali was concerned, the concerned persons, 24 in number, were arrested within 24 hours and are presently lodged in jail and due process of law is being followed as far as this incident is concerned.

“Moreover, the government itself is conscious about the care it has to give to its doctors and paramedics and it is open for any suggestions and guidelines in this regard,” the advocate general submitted before the court.

The Bench of Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak thereafter sought a detailed reply from the government within two weeks with regard to the measures taken by the government or the measures it proposes to take to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future and that with immediate effect it should be ensured that no weapon/firearms are allowed to be taken inside a hospital.

The bench also stated that proper notice of warning has to be given to every hospital and medical college about the consequences to be followed in law if Medicare Service Persons, which include doctors, nurses, paramedical, medical students, nursing students and any other worker employed and working in Medicare Service Institutions [as defined under Assam Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2011], are manhandled or attacked.

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