New Delhi, April 22 (TIWN) In a significant move, the Union cabinet on Wednesday amended the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1987 through an ordinance in order to ensure safety of health workers at a time when there has been a spate of attacks on them. Any violence against health workers may now bring steep fines and even imprisonments of up to seven years.

The revised rules provide for a jail term ranging from six months to 7 years for those found guilty of attacking doctors and health workers. Significantly, the offence of attacking doctors and health workers will now be non-bailable.