COVID-19: President Ram Nath Kovind signs ordinance to punish those attacking healthcare workers

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent for promulgating an ordinance making acts of violence against healthcare personnel fighting COVID-19 pandemic as cognizable and non-bailable offences. The ordinance which amends the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 also provides for compensation for injury to healthcare service personnel or for causing damage or loss to property.

"The President has given his assent for the promulgation of the ordinance," the Health Ministry said in a statement late on Wednesday, adding that commission or abetment of such acts of violence will be punishable with imprisonment for a term of three months to five years, and with fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2,00,000.

In case of causing grievous hurt, imprisonment shall be for a term six months to seven years and with a fine of Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 5,00,000. In addition, the offender will also be liable to pay compensation to the victim and twice the fair market value for damage of property, the ministry said.

The Union Cabinet in the afternoon approved promulgation of The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 to protect healthcare service personnel and property, including their living/working premises against violence during epidemics.

The current ordinance is intended to ensure that during any situation akin to the current pandemic, there is zero-tolerance to any form of violence against healthcare service personnel and damage to property, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

"... Some incidents of violence have taken place which has demoralized the medical fraternity. It is felt that separate and most stringent provisions for emergent times are needed to act as effective deterrents to any such incidents of violence," the ministry said. Violence, as defined in the ordinance, will include harassment and physical injury and damage to property.

The healthcare service personnel include public and clinical healthcare service providers such as doctors, nurses, paramedical workers and community health workers; any other persons empowered under the act to take measures to prevent the outbreak of the disease or spread thereof; and any persons declared as such by the state government, by notification in the official gazette.

The penal provisions can be invoked in instances of damage to property including a clinical establishment, any facility identified for quarantine and isolation of patients, mobile medical units and any other property in which the healthcare service personnel have a direct interest in relation to the epidemic.

Offences will be investigated by an officer of the rank of inspector within a period of 30 days, and the trial has to be completed in one year unless extended by the court for reasons to be recorded in writing.
The statement stated that during the current COVID-19 pandemic, there have been instances of the most critical service providers that is members of healthcare services being targeted and attacked by miscreants, thereby obstructing them from doing their duties.

Members of the medical community, even as they continue to perform relentlessly round the clock and save human lives, have unfortunately become the most vulnerable victims as they have been perceived by some as carriers of the virus.

"This has led to cases of their stigmatization and ostracization and sometimes worse, acts of unwarranted violence and harassment.? Such a situation tends to hamper the medical community from performing their duties to their optimum best and maintaining their morale, which is a critical need in this hour of a national health crisis.

"While healthcare service personnel are duty-bound to serve without discrimination, the cooperation and support from society is a fundamental need for them to perform their duties with confidence," the ministry said.

Several states have enacted special laws to offer protection to doctors and other medical personnel in the past. "However, COVID-19 outbreak has posed a unique situation where harassment of the healthcare workforce and others working to contain the spread of the disease has been taking place at all fronts, in various places including even cremation grounds," the statement said.

The ministry said that the existing state laws do not have such a wide sweep and ambit. They generally do not cover harassment at home and workplace and are focused more on physical violence only.

"It is hoped that this ordinance will have the impact of infusing confidence in the community of healthcare service personnel so that they can continue to contribute to serving mankind through their noble professions in the extremely difficult circumstances being witnessed during the current coronavirus infection outbreak," the ministry said.