In a major step towards strengthening support services for survivors of violence, Cama and Albless Hospital will launch a 24x7 One Stop Centre (OSC) from August 1. The facility will provide medical treatment, psychological counselling, police assistance, and legal aid under one roof for women and children facing violence or abuse.
The One Stop Centre scheme, introduced by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, aims to offer integrated support to women affected by violence and those in distress. While the scheme has been implemented across districts in Maharashtra, Cama Hospital will become the second government hospital in Mumbai, after KEM Hospital, to house such a centre.
Hospital authorities have completed the infrastructure required for the centre and appointed key personnel, including administrators, lawyers, counsellors, and police representatives. The facility will operate round the clock to ensure immediate assistance for survivors.
Unlike the conventional process, where survivors often have to approach multiple agencies separately, the One Stop Centre will coordinate interactions with legal, medical, counselling, and police services at a single location. This integrated approach is expected to reduce the emotional and psychological stress experienced by survivors during investigations and treatment.
The centre will offer emergency and non-emergency medical care, legal support, police facilitation, psychosocial counselling, and temporary shelter. Women in crisis, girls of all age groups, and boys up to the age of 12 will be eligible for temporary accommodation for up to five days, subject to prescribed guidelines.
For girls below the age of 18, the centre will coordinate with authorities under the Juvenile Justice Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to ensure appropriate care and legal support.
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