Attack On Medical Workers- Specify Measures Taken To Curb Such Incidents, Ensure No Weapon Allowed Inside Hospitals: Gauhati HC To Assam Govt

Taking note of alleged brutal attack on frontline medical workers was brutally attacked by the attendants following the death of a patient suffering from COVID & pneumonia at Udali Model Hospital in Hojai district of Assam. "In this ongoing crisis situation, if the health care workers are attacked and face mob violence in the hospital itself, then it's the high time that all stake holders must take all necessary actions against those culprits and book them under the law and also take action as per the Epidemic Disease Ordinance, 2020 as its a gross human rights violation and attacked on fundamental right under Article 19 of the Constitution of India," the letter further stated. Apart from raising concern about the doctors and paramedics, who are the frontline warriors and also touching on an incident where a Doctor was manhandled and beaten up by a mob in Udali Model Hospital in the district of Hojai, the petition prayed that suitable measures be taken by the State to ensure that such incidents do not occur in future State's submission The Advocate General of the State, D. Saikia apprised this Court that as far as the incident of Udali was concerned, the concerned persons, twenty-four in number, were arrested within twenty-four hours and are presently lodged in jail and due process of law is being followed as far as this incident is concerned. Significantly, the Court directed thus: "Proper notice of warning is given in every hospital and medical colleges about the consequences to be followed in law if Medicare Service Persons, which include Doctors, Nurses, Para-medical, medical students, nursing students and any other worker employed and working in Medicare Service Institutions, are manhandled or attacked" Senior Advocate Vijay Hansaria argued for the petitioner.