On August 20, the Supreme Court highlighted the importance of safety of doctors as a matter of national interest and set up a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) to draft a protocol for their protection. This move was taken in response to the recent rape and murder of a female junior doctor in West Bengal, which highlighted the urgent need for measures to ensure the safety and well-being of medical professionals across the country.
The National Task Force will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, August 27. The task force includes prominent figures such as the former Cabinet Secretary and several leading doctors. According to details, medical organisations have been invited to participate and share their views as the NTF aims to create a platform to discuss crucial issues related to the safety of medical professionals. The apex court has asked the task force to submit its interim report within three weeks and the final report within two months.
A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud had said that the lack of institutional safety norms in medical establishments against violence and sexual violence against medical professionals is a matter of grave concern. It said there are laws to protect medical professionals but they do not address systemic issues. The court said the Union government’s cabinet secretary and home secretary, secretary of the health ministry, chairman of the National Medical Commission and chairman of the National Examination Board will be the ex-officio members of the task force.
The members of the working group are:
- Vice Admiral Arti Sarin: Director General of Medical Services (Navy)
- Dr. D. Nageshwar Reddy: Chairman & Managing Director, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad
- Dr. M Srinivas: Director of Delhi-AIIMS
- Dr. Pratima Murthy: Director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru
- Dr. Goverdhan Dutt Puri: Managing Director, AIIMS Jodhpur
- Dr. Saumitra Rawat: Chairman, Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, GI & BPH Oncosurgery and Liver Transplantation and Member, Board of Directors, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi
- Professor Anita Saxena: Vice Chancellor, Pandit BD Sharma Medical University, Rohtak, former Academic Dean, Head of Cardiothoracic Centre and Head of Department of Cardiology, AIIMS, Delhi
- Dr. Pallavi Saple: Dean, Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai
- Dr. Padma Srivastava: Formerly Professor, Department of Neurology, AIIMS Delhi
SC asks NTF to prepare action plan
The apex court asked the NTF to formulate an action plan with two sub-headings: prevention of violence, including gender-based violence against medical professionals; and establishment of an applicable national protocol for decent and safe working conditions for interns, residents, senior residents, doctors, nurses and all medical professionals. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will provide all logistical support, including arrangements for travel, stay and secretarial assistance, and bear the expenses of the NTF members. The data submitted will be tabulated and submitted with an affidavit by the Union Government within one month of this order.
(With PTI inputs)
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