Government amends Epidemic Act; issues ordinance to ensure safety to health workers

New Delhi: In a significant move, the Union cabinet on Wednesday amended the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1987 through an ordinance in order to ensure safety of health workers at a time when there has been a spate of attacks on them. Any violence against health workers may now bring steep fines and even imprisonments of up to seven years.

This move comes hours after Home Minister Amit Shah addressed Nina Medical Association through a video conference, assuring them of safety and urging them to withdraw the symbolic protest scheduled for later this month against incidents of violence on health workers pressed into COVID-19 duty.

From now on, not just such violence is cognizable but also non-bailable offence. Additionally, it has provisions to provide compensation for injury to healthcare service personnel or for causing damage or loss to the property, the government said on Wednesday.

KS Dhatwalia, principal spokesperson for the government, tweeted: "Ordinance would help protect healthcare service personnel and their living/ working premises against violence".

Asserting that the government has "zero tolerance" for violence and harassment against doctors, nurses, paramedics and other healthcare personnel, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said a person can be sentenced to anywhere between three months and five years in jail, besides a fine between Rs 50,000 and two lakh, for such crimes under the new provision. In cases where injuries are serious, the punishment will range from six months to seven years, and carry fine between Rs 1-5 lakhs, the minister told reporters.

"This actually helps protect the entire health fraternity including doctors, nurses, paramedics up to ASHA workers, " said Prakash Javadekar. The Minister said the amendment was necessitated after incidents of violence were witnessed against them while discharging their crucial duty for the country.

Healthcare professionals have faced violent attacks in some areas during their drive to test people for suspected infection or quarantine them. There have also been reports that their landlords or neighbours in some cases opposed their presence claiming they may be carriers of the infection.

The amendment has ensured that the investigation takes place in a time-bound manner. A special provision is also made in the ordinance in case vehicles or clinics are damaged. In such cases, two times the cost will be recovered from assailants.