Telangana Health Minister Reviews Medicare Service Act and Hospital Security
Telangana Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha conducted a comprehensive review of the Telangana Medicare Service Act, 2008, on Monday. The review emphasized the need for enhanced hospital safety and swift judicial processing of relevant cases.
In alignment with Supreme Court directives, Minister Narasimha called for the appointment of a hospital safety committee. The health department has been tasked with reviewing all cases registered under Section 11 of the Telangana Medicare Service Act. Officials have been instructed to submit a detailed report on these cases without delay.
To expedite legal proceedings, Narasimha proposed the establishment of fast-track courts across the 10 districts of Telangana. This initiative aims to accelerate the resolution of cases related to hospital safety and malpractice.
The minister also underscored the importance of bolstering security measures in government hospitals. He directed the health department to implement stricter security protocols, particularly for the protection of female doctors, nursing officers, and staff. This includes patrolling by security teams during nighttime.
Plans are underway to construct police outposts at all teaching hospitals in Telangana, with space already allocated for such facilities in the Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) hospitals. Currently, 10 teaching hospitals are equipped with these police outposts.
During the review meeting, Raja Narasimha emphasized that private security agencies employed in hospitals must be accredited under the Private Security Agency Regulations Act (PSAR) 2015. Furthermore, the integration of CCTV camera feeds with local police stations was recommended to enhance security from primary health centers to area hospitals.
The health and police departments have been directed to collaborate closely to reinforce hospital security across the state.
