Panaji: Health minister Vishwajit Rane said that
safety concerns
raised by female
resident doctors
would be addressed by appointing a dedicated lady doctor who will serve as a point of contact. Rane said govt was committed to strengthen laws to protect the well-being of women, and that misconduct towards
women
will not be tolerated in any department.
Rane was addressing a media briefing held along with the representative of
Goa resident doctors’ association
(GARD) and S M Bandekar, dean,
GMC
. Rane also said that govt’s utmost priority is safeguarding doctors, women, and children.
He assured that govt would implement all necessary measures at GMC and other state-run health facilities to prevent incidents similar to the tragic rape and murder of a medical professional in Kolkata.
“I reaffirm our relentless commitment to the safety and dignity of our medical professionals. We are going to accelerate the implementation of enhanced security measures at GMC, including CCTV installations and stronger legal protections. We hear the doctors’ concerns and stand in solidarity with them,” he said.
Considering the demands of the Goa association of resident doctors (GARD), Rane said that govt would soon
appoint
at least two female doctor-relation officers (DROs) who will serve as a point of contact specifically for women doctors at GMC. The DROs will coordinate with GMC administration and govt for grievances or complaints raised by doctors. He also said govt would be committed to strengthening existing laws to safeguard the well-being of all doctors and women.
“Our govt needs to consider the safety of all women. It’s the responsibility of govt to get the demands of the doctors fulfilled and we will make sure it’s done. We don’t want a similar situation like Kolkata to take place in Goa and we will take all the precautions for the same,” he said.
In a memorandum submitted to the health minister, GARD submitted several demands to enhance security measures within the GMC complex. They urged govt to improve illumination at 13 different locations within the campus and to install additional CCTV cameras at strategic locations. They also requested deployment of additional security guards at four different locations to strengthen the overall security.
The memorandum emphasised the need to enforce a visitor pass system at every ward of the hospital to regulate and monitor movement of individuals within the premises. They also brought to the notice of govt multiple complaints voiced by doctors about staff being intoxicated while on duty. Rane said that their demands would be placed before the chief minister and added that it would be considered on a priority.
