SC sets up 10-member task force to chalk out safety protocol for medical institutions

Observing that working conditions have made doctors and health professionals susceptible to violence, the Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 20) constituted a 10-member task force to formulate a national protocol for ensuring safety and facilities for them in the wake of the rape and murder of a medic in Kolkata.

The task force will submit its interim report within three weeks and the final report within two months.

A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said protecting women doctors is a matter of national interest and principle of equality does not demand anything less.

The top court said the nation cannot await another rape for things to change on the ground. It said there are legislations to protect medical professionals but they do not address the systemic issues.

10-member task force

The 10 members of the task force include Admiral Aarti Sarin, the Director General of Medical Services for the Navy, Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, a renowned gastroenterologist, Dr M Srinivas, the Director of AIIMS Delhi, Dr Pratima Murthy from NIMHANS Bangalore, Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri from AIIMS Jodhpur, Dr Somikra Rawat from Gangaram Hospital, Delhi, Professor Anita Saxena, Vice-Chancellor of a leading medical university, Dr Pallavi Saple from the JJ Group of Hospitals, and Dr Padma Srivastava, Chairperson of Neurology at Paras Hospital, Gurgaon.

The bench said the cabinet secretary, the home secretary to the Union government, the secretary of ministry of family welfare, the chairperson of the National Medical Commission, and the president of the National Board of Examiners would be the ex-officio members of the national task force.

Action plan for task force

The SC directed that the task force would make action plans on two heads: preventing violence, including gender-based violence, against medical professionals, and providing an enforceable national protocol for dignified and safe working conditions for interns, residents, senior residents, doctors, nurses, etc.

The first action plan would include ensuring safety in hospitals, infrastructural development, employment of social welfare workers trained in grief and crisis counselling, and workshops on handling grief and crisis.

The court said the task force had to consult all the stakeholders bearing in mind the urgency and gravity of the situation.

The court said the task force was entitled to make additional suggestions wherever appropriate to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Against Women at Workplace Act, and also suggest timelines by which its recommendations are to be implemented.

Status reports from CBI, WB govt

The top court directed the CBI to file a status report by August 22 on investigation in the Kolkata rape-murder case and West Bengal to file a status report by August 22 on progress of probe into the mob attack on the RG Kar hospital.

The apex court was hearing a suo motu case related to the rape and murder of a postgraduate medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata amid the nationwide doctors' strike over it.

(With agency inputs)