K’taka medical education dept taking steps to increase security for medical students, doctors

BENGALURU: Following the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical Hospital and College in Kolkata, the Karnataka Medical Education Department has initiated various measures to ensure the safety of girl students and female staff.

The department has issued certain guidelines for the safety of students and staff in hospitals, hostels and even paying guest accommodations. Among them, transport facility is to be arranged for commute between the hospital and hostel and ensuring streetlights are functional near the hostels. Apart from this, ID cards will be colour-coded for personal security and former service personnel will be roped in to manage the central control room.

Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil told Public TV, “After the Kolkata incident, we had issued directives to all the directors on women’s safety to interact with even paying guest accommodation owners and students and doctors, get their feedback on what measures need to be taken and to implement them”.

The minister said the officials have been directed to follow the Union government’s and Supreme Court advisories strictly. “The advisories stress on providing restrooms, washrooms, installing more CCTV cameras, proper lighting in dark areas, transport facility from hostels, etc”, he noted.