K’taka govt to frame guidelines on safety of women in medical profession

Bengaluru, Aug 23 (IANS) In response to the widespread protests following the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor in Kolkata, the Karnataka government has initiated proactive measures to ensure the safety and security of medical professionals, particularly women doctors in the state.

The Karnataka government has decided to frame guidelines on the safety of women medical professionals by seeking inputs from all stakeholders, particularly women doctors.

During a meeting held on Friday at Vikasa Soudha, Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil asked the Director of Medical Education (DME), Dr. Sujatha Rathod, to consult with all stakeholders and formulate comprehensive guidelines for the safety of doctors.

Dr. Sujatha Rathod has been instructed to engage with directors of government medical colleges, super speciality hospitals, and doctor associations.

Additionally, the minister emphasised the importance of gathering inputs from private medical college managements, female doctors, and other key stakeholders to ensure robust safety measures for medical professionals, especially women, in both colleges and hospitals.

“The state government will soon release guidelines and advisories to enhance the safety and security of doctors across Karnataka, based on the feedback and suggestions from the medical community. These guidelines will be applicable to both government and private medical institutions,” Dr. Patil informed the media.

Condemning the heinous crime against the 31-year-old doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr. Patil asserted that the government will not tolerate violence against medical professionals and is committed to implementing all necessary measures to protect them, with a particular focus on the safety of women.

The medical fraternity had staged agitations across the state following which health services were hit.

The doctors called off the agitation following the assurance by the Supreme Court in this regard.

–IANS

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