Maharashtra government issues SOP for women's safety at COVID centres; Read the guidelines here

Even at a time when the nation is striving through a pandemic, women in the country are still at risk. As there were several incidents of harassment of women been reported at the Covid Center in the state.

Earlier, an Ayush doctor, identified as Sachin Panjarkar, allegedly tried to molest a woman patient at a COVID-19 care centre in Aurangabad, which raised a question over the safety of women. Later, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister had assured that SOPs for women's safety would be released by March-end.

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Taking cognizance of sexual harassment complaints received from female coronavirus patients against the male nursing staff of Covid centres, the Maharashtra health department on Tuesday, May 18, issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) related to women’s safety at COVID care centres.

Here’s the list of guidelines:

• There should be a separate women's ward for the treatment of coronavirus positive female patients.
• Covid centre should install a “panic alarm button” at a visible spot at the centre so that women patients can call for help in case of any emergency.
• Entry and exit to the ward should have CCTVs installed and a security guard should be deployed with a register of visitors.
• No male staff should be deployed in the female ward at the centre. In exceptional cases, male staff should accompany the female staff to take a woman patient for tests.
• Mandatory presence of female medical staff, doctors in female Covid ward. Moreover, female staff should be present with male staff while tying dead bodies of women patients.
• Every female Covid centre should have 24-hour electricity and water supply and a bathroom and toilet for every 20 female patients.
• An ambulance should be provided at each centre for pregnant women and female staff must accompany them if they need to be shifted to a hospital.

Since the outbreak of the virus, various Covid wards have been set up in the state for women. Despite that, there were incidents of sexual harassment taking place in these wards.

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