Supreme Court of India establishes panel for doctor safety
Date
8/26/2024 7:46:40 AM
(MENAFN) In response to the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College Hospital in Kolkata, the Supreme Court of India has established a national task force to address and enhance safety for medical professionals across the country. This significant move comes as protests and demands for better protection have swept through India’s medical community.
The court's decision to create the task force follows a suo motu case initiated on August 9 to tackle the systemic issues highlighted by the horrifying incident. The task force, which consists of ten members, has been charged with recommending comprehensive reforms to improve safety standards, work conditions, and overall well-being for doctors in India.
Chief Justice Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud emphasized the need for a national protocol to ensure safe working conditions, stressing that failing to provide safety at work effectively denies women their right to equality. The task force has been given a deadline to submit an interim report within three weeks and a final report within two months. The court also urged doctors who had suspended their services in protest to resume their duties, highlighting the importance of maintaining healthcare services amidst ongoing reforms.
The brutal incident, involving the murder of a 31-year-old doctor whose body was discovered on June 9, has caused widespread outrage reminiscent of the public reaction to the 2012 Nirbhaya case. In that case, a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern was violently assaulted and raped in a moving bus in New Delhi, prompting nationwide protests and demands for legal reforms.
The identification and arrest of a police volunteer as the prime suspect in the Kolkata case have only fueled the calls for more stringent measures to protect medical professionals. The Supreme Court’s intervention aims to address these critical safety concerns and ensure that such tragic incidents do not recur, thereby fostering a safer working environment for doctors across India.
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