The Union Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved an ordinance to make attack on health workers, tending to Covid-19 patients, a cognizable and non-bailable offence.
Under the law, those causing grave injuries to health care workers, can get a jail term from 6 months to 7 years.
Addressing a press conference to brief media about the Cabinet decisions, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said ,”Health workers who are trying to save the country from this epidemic are unfortunately facing attacks. No incident of violence or harassment, against them will be tolerated. Be it harassment or criminal offence in form of violence, zero tolerance will be shown.
”We will not allow this to happen in this civilised society. An ordinance has been brought in to make attack on health workers a cognizable and non-bailable offence. In case of grave injury caused, accused can get jail term from 6 months to 7 years.”
The Minister said that under the act, a probe into the cases of attack on healthcare workers, will be completed within 30 days.
”Judgement will be given in maximum 1 year,” he added.
The ordinance, said the Minister, will now go to the President for his approval.
There have been several incidents of attacks on health care workers involved in treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The proposed ordinance also provides for compensation for injury to healthcare service personnel or for causing damage or loss to property.
The proposed ordinance will amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. It will help protect healthcare service personnel and their living and working premises against violence. Asked whether the new changes in the law will be applicable even after the threat of COVID-19 is over, Javadekar told reporters that the ordinance has been approved to amend the Epidemic Act. “But it is a good beginning,” he said, without elaborating.
Union Home Minister interacts with Doctors and Senior representatives of IMA
Before the announcement of the ordinance, Union Minister for Home Affairs, Amit Shah and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harshvardhan interacted with doctors and senior representatives of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), through a video conference, in New Delhi today.
Allaying all concerns of the medical fraternity regarding their security in the fight against Coronavirus, the Home Minister has assured them that the Modi government would leave no stone unturned in ensuring their wellbeing and security.
Shri Shah strongly condemned the recent attacks on health professionals and said that PM is closely following all issues and concerns of doctors. All necessary arrangements would be put in place to prevent such incidents in future, he said. He appealed to doctors not to do even a symbolic protest as proposed by them, as it is not in national or global interest.
Considering the immediate high level response from the Union government and assurance given by the Union Home and Health Ministers, the IMA has withdrawn the proposed protest to maintain the fight against COVID-19 in an uninterrupted manner.
