Well-Lit Campus, CCTVs: Government Advisory Amid Outrage Over Doctor Murder

Amid a nationwide protest by doctors calling for better security measures in the hospital in the wake of the shocking rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata, the National Medical Commission today shared an advisory to colleges for a "safe work environment".

Well-lit corridors and campus, CCTV monitoring and adequate safety measures at OPD, wards and hostels are among the measures that the government body asked the medical colleges to adopt.

The body, under the directions of Union Health Minister JP Nadda, asked all medical colleges to develop a policy that ensures "adequate safety measures at OPD, wards, casualty, hostels and other open areas in the campus and residential quarters. Corridors and campus should be well-lit in the evening for staff to walk safely from one place to another and all sensitive areas be covered by CCTV for monitoring."

The notice advised the colleges to have adequate security measures in place at the OPD, wards, casualty, labour rooms, hostels and residential quarters and other open areas.

It also asked for prompt investigation by the college management and registering of police cases in case of violence against the medical students.

"A detailed action taken report on any incident of violence should invariably be sent to the National Medical Commission (NMC) within 48 hours of the incident," it said.

A 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered while on duty at PG Kar Medical College in Kolkata on Thursday. Her semi-naked body was found in the seminar hall of the government-run hospital the next morning. A civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police was arrested in this connection on Saturday.

Health Minister JP Nadda today criticised the West Bengal government over the shocking incident, alleging that it tried to suppress the case. He also welcomed the Calcutta High Court's decision to order a CBI investigation into the case.