The Supreme Court of India has constituted a National Task Force (NTF) to examine and make recommendations of the safety, working conditions and well being of medical professionals.
Hearing a suo motu case over the rape and murder of a 2nd year Postgraduate doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, the bench, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, clarified that the phrase ‘medical professionals’ encompasses doctors, students undergoing internship, residents doctors and senior resident doctors as well as nurses.
Today, the Supreme Court has asked the NTF to submit an interim report within three weeks and a final report in two months.
The order stated: “The NTA shall consider following to prepare action plan: prevent gender based violence, prepare national plan to prepare dignified working of interns, resident, non resident doctors:
1. areas of emergency room may need additional security
2. baggage screening needed to prevents arms from entering
3. not allowing persons beyond a limit if they are not patients
4. security to manage crowd
5. have rest rooms for doctors and gender neutral spaces for resting of doctors, nurses
6. such areas to have biometrics and facial recognition
7. proper lighting of all areas, installation of CCTV in all places
8. transport from 10 pm to 6 am for medical professions
9. conducting workshops for handling grief and crisis
10. quarterly audits of institutional safety measures
11. establishing police force commensurate with footfall
12. POSH Act applies to medical establishments thus IC to be constituted.
13. helpline number to be there for emergency of medical professions”
The NTF will consist of nine members led by Surgeon Vice Admiral RK Sarian and five ex-officio members.
The Supreme Court bench also directed all States to collect data on the following and submit the data within one month.
1. How many security professionals are employed at each hospital?
2. Whether there is baggage screening at entry
3. Number of resting rooms
4. Facilities provided in such rooms
5. If all areas in hospital can be accessed by cctv
6. Training for hanging grief of patients
7. If there are police outposts outside the hospital
8. If ICC as per POSH is in place
Further, the Supreme Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit its report by 22 August 2024 and the state of West Bengal to file status report by 22 August 2024 on the progress of the investigation and the acts of vandalism which took place at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on 14th August 2024.
Reading out the order, the Supreme Court also appealed the protesting doctors to resume work at the earliest and stated, “The abstaining doctors and medical professionals can stand assured that their concerns are receiving the highest concern from the Supreme Court of India.
The matter is listed to be heard next on 23rd August 2024.
