Kolkata: Following a spate of disturbing incidents of alleged rape, molestation, and assaults reported from several government hospitals across West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has directed authorities to adopt a “zero tolerance” policy and immediately strengthen security measures across all healthcare facilities in the state.
According to sources at the state secretariat, Nabanna, the Chief Minister, who also holds the Health portfolio, participated in a high-level review meeting via phone and instructed top officials to ensure that such “shameful and alarming incidents” are not repeated under any circumstances.
“The Chief Minister has directed the administration to adopt zero tolerance towards such incidents. She has asked the Health Department to review security protocols in all hospitals and strengthen them wherever required,” said a senior official familiar with the meeting.
The meeting — convened by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, and Health Secretary N.S. Nigam — was attended by senior officials from major hospitals across the state.
Recent weeks have seen a string of unsettling cases that triggered public outrage and demands for immediate reform. At a government hospital in Uluberia (Howrah), a junior doctor was allegedly molested and threatened while on duty. In another case, a nurse in Mohammad Bazar, Birbhum, was assaulted, while at Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital, a civic volunteer impersonating a doctor attempted to molest a minor girl inside a men’s washroom.
Condemning these incidents, Banerjee instructed that hospital identity cards must be displayed prominently by all medical and support staff and that entry verification systems at hospital premises be tightened.
“Strict checks will be implemented at every entry point. ID verification for all staff, vendors, and visitors will be made mandatory. The officials have also been asked to prepare an action plan to execute the new security measures without delay,” Nabanna sources confirmed.
The Chief Minister’s intervention follows growing criticism over lapses in hospital safety and accountability. Her government has now directed district health officials to submit detailed security audits of all major hospitals within a fixed timeframe.
Meanwhile, the Health Department has vowed to increase the number of CCTV cameras, deploy additional security personnel — including female guards — and conduct regular awareness programs on workplace safety for hospital staff.
