Assam’s medical college cancels controversial advisory restricting female staff movements, after NMC circular

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 14, 2024

Assam’s Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) on Wednesday cancelled the controversial advisory asking female doctors, students, and staff to avoid isolated, poorly lit, and sparsely populated areas in the aftermath of the national advisory issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on Tuesday.

The advisory issued by the SLCH on Tuesday is in the greater interest of doctors, students and staff members of the medical college with special emphasis on female members.

“As NMC has issued an advisory on August 13, the advisory issued by the Silchar Medical College & Hospital administration on August 12, stands cancelled,” SMCH principal cum chief superintendent stated in a fresh order on Wednesday.

“A new advisory will be issued in this regard soon, following NMC norms and with government directions,” the order added.

The advisory issued by the SMCH on Tuesday has asked female doctors, students, and staff should, as much as possible, avoid situations where they are alone.

The female students have been refrained from leaving the hostel or lodging rooms during night hours unless necessary, with prior information to the concerned authority.

They have been asked to avoid going off-campus during late or “odd” hours.

On Tuesday, the National Medical Commission (NMC) in an advisory requested all medical colleges to develop a policy for a safe work environment within the College and Hospital campus for all the staff members including Faculty, Medical Students and resident Doctors.

The advisory says the policy should ensure adequate safety measures at OPD, wards, casualty, hostels and other open areas on campus and in residential quarters. Corridors and campus should be well-lit in the evening for staff to walk safely from one place to another and all sensitive areas be covered by CCTV for monitoring.

It says adequate security measures including posting of adequate security staff (male and female) should be made available at the OPD, wards, casualty, labour rooms, hostels residential quarters and other open areas in the Medical College and Hospital campus.

It also says any violence against the medical students should be promptly investigated by the college management and an FIR should be lodged with the Police. A detailed action taken report on any incident of violence should invariably be sent to the National Medical Commission (NMC) within 48 hours of the incident.