“The nationwide protests” over the “brutal” rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R G Kar Medical College Hospital in Kolkata have brought to “the forefront” the issue of “lack of institutional safety for doctors” and that “the nation cannot await a rape or murder for real changes on the ground”, the Supreme Court constituted a National Task Force to “formulate effective recommendations to remedy the issues of concern pertaining to” the “safety, working conditions and well-being of medical professionals and other cognate matters”.
Supreme Court Forms Task Force For Safety Of Medicos
Why In News
- “The nationwide protests” over the “brutal” rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R G Kar Medical College Hospital in Kolkata have brought to “the forefront” the issue of “lack of institutional safety for doctors” and that “the nation cannot await a rape or murder for real changes on the ground”, the Supreme Court constituted a National Task Force to “formulate effective recommendations to remedy the issues of concern pertaining to” the “safety, working conditions and well-being of medical professionals and other cognate matters”.
- Supreme Court on ordered the removal of the name, photos and videos of a trainee doctor, who was raped and murdered in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, from all social media platforms.
Bench
- The bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the NTF shall suggest appropriate timelines by which its recommendations could be implemented based on the existing facilities in hospitals. The NTF has been asked to submit an interim report within three weeks and the final report within two months.
National Task Force
- NTF shall consider the following to prepare an action plan:
- Prevent gender-based violence
- National plan to prepare dignified working of interns, resident, non-resident doctors
- Areas of emergency room needed for additional security
- Baggage screening to prevent arms from entering
- Not allowing people beyond a limit if they are not patients
- Security to manage crowd
- Rest rooms for doctors and gender-neutral spaces for resting of doctors, nurses
- Areas to have biometrics and facial recognition
- Proper lighting of all areas, installation of CCTV in all places
- Availability of Transport from 10 pm to 6 am for medical professions
- Conducting workshops for handling grief and crisis
- Quarterly audits of institutional safety measures
- Establishing a police force commensurate with footfall
- ICC to be constituted as POSH Act applies to medical establishments
Other Facts
- It shall also explore constitution of “Employees Safety Committees” comprising doctors, interns, residents and nurses at every medical establishment to conduct quarterly audits on institutional safety measures and ensuring compliance of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
- The Supreme Court clarified that the phrase medical professionals used in the order encompasses every medical professional including doctors, medical students who are undergoing their compulsory rotating medical internship as a part of the MBBS course, resident doctors and senior resident doctors and nurses including nursing interns.
