Hearing the Kolkata doctor rape and murder case on Tuesday, the Supreme Court came down heavily on the West Bengal government over the delayed action in the matter and said the country "cannot wait for another rape case things to change".
The case pertains to a trainee doctor of RG Medical College & Hospital of West Bengal's Kolkata, who was found dead on August 9 in the seminar hall of the medical facility. It later emerged that the trainee doctor was raped and murdered and a civic volunteer was arrested over the same.
Hearing the Kolkata doctor rape and murder case on Tuesday, the Supreme Court came down heavily on the West Bengal government over the delayed action in the matter and said the country "cannot wait for another rape case things to change".
The case pertains to a trainee doctor of RG Medical College & Hospital of West Bengal's Kolkata, who was found dead on August 9 in the seminar hall of the medical facility. It later emerged that the trainee doctor was raped and murdered and a civic volunteer was arrested over the same.
Terming the rape and murder case of a medic at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital as horrific, the Supreme Court on Tuesday 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 apex court was hearing a suo motu case related to the Kolkata rape and murder.
Saying that working conditions have made doctors and health professionals susceptible to violence, the Supreme Court on Tuesday 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 Supreme Court said the National Task Force (NTF) will submit its interim report within three weeks and the final report within two months. The apex court said there are legislations to protect medical professionals but they do not address the systemic issues.
The ten members of the task force will include surgeon Vice Admiral RK Sarian, Dr Reddy, Managing Director Asian Institute of National Gastrology, Dr M Srinivas, Director AIIMS, Delhi, Dr Prathima Moorthy, NIMHANS, Bangalore among others.
All 10 members of the task force are -- Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General, Medical Services (Navy), Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman and 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, Executive Director, AIIMS Jodhpur, Dr Saumitra Rawat, Chairperson, Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, GI and HPB Onco-Surgery and Liver Transplantation and Member, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.
The other members are -- Professor Anita Saxena, Vice-Chancellor, Pandit B D Sharma Medical University, Rohtak, former Dean of Academics, Chief Cardiothoracic Centre and Head Cardiology Department AIIMS, Delhi, Dr Pallavi Saple, Dean, Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, and Dr Padma Srivastava, formerly Professor at the Department of Neurology, AIIMS Delhi.
The bench said the cabinet secretary and the home secretary to the Union government shall be the ex-officio members of the national task force.
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 Supreme Court asked the NTF to formulate an action plan under two sub-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 and all medical professionals.
The bench said the NTF shall be at liberty to make recommendations on all aspects of the action-plan highlighted above and any other aspects which the members seek to cover. They are at liberty to make additional suggestions, where appropriate.
"The NTF shall also suggest appropriate timelines by which the recommendations could be implemented based on the existing facilities in Hospitals. The NTF is requested to consult all stake-holders," news agency PTI quoted the bench as saying.
The bench said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will provide all logistical support including making arrangements for travel, stay and secretarial assistance and bear the expenses of the members of the NTF, it said.
"All State Governments and UT Governments, through their Secretaries, in the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare and the Central Government, through the Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare must collate information from all hospitals run by the State and the Central Government, respectively on how many security personnel are employed at each Hospital and each department," the bench said.
"Whether there is a baggage and person screening mechanism in place at the entrance of the medical establishment. The total number of resting/duty rooms in the Hospital and specific details of the number in each Department. The facilities provided in the resting/duty rooms," the bench said. The data as submitted shall be tabulated and filed with an affidavit by the Union Government within one month of this order, the Supreme Court bench added.
The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) welcomed the Supreme Court's intervention into the rape and murder of Kolkata medic, saying it will serve the interests of the medical fraternity.
Tuesday marked the ninth day of the strike by doctors, who in the wake of the Kolkata murder have been demanding a central law on safety of medics working at hospitals.
The protesting doctors have been demanding a fast and transparent investigation by the CBI into the murder and the formation of a Central Protection Act.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday 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 mob attack on the RG Kar Hospital.