Explained in pics: Govt brings tough law on attacks on health professionals

The move comes in the wake of reports of assaults on healthcare workers at some places in the country, including in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka

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In light of the ongoing attacks on the healthcare workers, on Wednesday, the Union Cabinet has approved an ordinance making acts of violence and harassment against healthcare personnel deployed in combating Covid-19 a non-bailable offence.

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According to which, in case of grave injuries to health workers, the guilty will be sent to jail for a term that could range between six months and seven years, and will be asked to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

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According to the proposed amendments, investigation against the accused will have to be conducted within 30 days and a final decision taken within a year.

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The ordinance will amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, and the amended law will also be invoked if healthcare personnel face harassment from their landlords or neighbours over suspicion that they may carry the coronavirus infection due to the nature of their work, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said.

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For this, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which had been demanding a Central law to deal with the crimes against healthcare professionals, expressed its "heartfelt thanks" to Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.

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The apex doctor's body had earlier in the day called off its proposed 'White alert' and 'Black day' protests scheduled on April 22 and 23 following a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah through video conference.

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Several incidents of violence against medical professionals have been reported from different parts of the country during the coronavirus outbreak.

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Among other incidents, in Chennai, an orthopaedic surgeon had to bury his associate, a neurosurgeon who died of COVID-19, in the middle of the night using his bare hands and a shovel at a crematorium with the help of just two hospital ward boys after the undertakers fled when a mob, protesting the interment, attacked them.