Karnataka health department implements SAFE protocol for sexual assault cases

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Why SAFE kits?

“This aids the investigation. The collection and storing of material evidence helps in proper inquiry, and providing justice for the victim,” Randeep spoke exclusively to South First.

“We wanted to ensure evidence is not contaminated in POCSO cases at the hospital end. There is a proper procedure for collecting and storing (evidence), which can be legally justified in a court of law,” he said.

To achieve this end, hospitals have been instructed to store SAFE kits.

“This is a first-time instruction going to all hospitals to be prepared so that no case falls or is weakened on account of shoddy collection of evidence,” the senior official explained.

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Training on SOPs

The hospitals will procure the SAFE kits towards the end of the month and training will be provided on the standard operating procedures. The old unscientific methods will be stopped and the survivor will not be put to discomfort.

The circular listed 27 items that need to be procured by each hospital and their quantity.

The items included a tamper-proof tape, plain paper sheet for collecting particles if any on the victim’s body, sterile plastic container, FTA ((Flinders Technology Associates) ) cards with pouch individually packed with two desiccants, EDTA ( Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) vials, Pasteur pipette and others.

District hospitals could utilise up to ₹1 lakh each for procuring the kits, while taluk and community health centres could spend ₹50,000  and ₹10,000, respectively.

(Edited by Majnu Babu).