Ensure police protection to medical staff working during coronavirus pandemic: MHA to states & UTs

Amid increasing cases of attack on healthcare professionals involved in tackling COVID-19, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday wrote to states to ensure police security to doctors and other medical staff when they go to hospitals for screening as well as in quarantine centres.

It has also been communicated to the states to provide necessary police security to doctors and medical staff who visit places to conduct screening of people to find out symptoms of the disease.

The letter by MHA Deputy Secretary Srinivasu K referred to the Supreme Court direction in this regard and said necessary action should be taken for compliance of the order.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

On April 8, the Supreme Court said, "The Government of India, respective states/Union Territories and respective authorities are directed to provide the necessary police security to the doctors and medical staff in hospitals and places where patientsw who have been diagnosed COVID-19 or patients suspected of COVID-19 or those quarantined are housed."

It also said, "Necessary police security be also extended to doctors and other medical staff who visit places to conduct screening of people to find out symptoms of disease."

Healthcare professionals in Delhi and elsewhere have been complaining that they were facing harassment with house owners asking them to vacate their rented accommodation besides facing harassment from locals.

Track sate-wise confirmed coronavirus cases here

The Centre and state governments had issued appeals to citizens not to harass healthcare professionals, who are on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19. Earlier this month, doctors in Telangana were attacked following the death of a COVID-19 patient while two woman doctors and civil authorities who went to a locality in Indore for COVID-19 screening were attacked.

Highlighting the issue, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association shot off a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on April 1 demanding passing of Central Protection Act for Doctors and deploy Hospital Protection Force similar to CISF to prevent incidents in the future.