Kolkata doctor rape-murder: Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force to convene first meeting today

Image Source : PTI Women take part in a candlelight protest march against the alleged sexual assault and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor in Kolkata.

Emphasising the importance of doctors’ safety as a matter of national interest, the Supreme Court on August 20 established a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) to develop a protocol for their protection. This move came in response to the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in West Bengal, highlighting the urgent need for measures to ensure the security and well-being of medical professionals across the country. 

Now the National Task Force will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, August 27. The task force includes prominent figures such as the former Cabinet Secretary and several leading doctors. According to the details, medical organisations have been invited to participate and share their opinions, as the NTF aims to create a platform for discussing crucial issues related to the safety and security of medical professionals. The apex court has asked the task force to submit its interim report within three weeks and the final report within two months. 

A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud had said that a lack of institutional safety norms at medical establishments against both violence and sexual violence against medical professionals is a matter of serious concern. It said there are legislations to protect medical professionals but they do not address the systemic issues. The bench said the cabinet secretary and the home secretary to the Union government, secretary, Ministry of Health, chairperson, National Medical Commission and president, National Board of Examinations shall be the ex-officio members of the task force.

Members of the task force are:

• Vice Admiral Arti Sarin: Director General of 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 of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru
• Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri: Executive Director of AIIMS Jodhpur
• Dr Saumitra Rawat: Chairperson of Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, GI and HPB Onco-Surgery and Liver Transplantation and Member, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi
• Professor Anita Saxena: Vice-Chancellor, Pandit BD Sharma Medical University, Rohtak, former Dean of Academics, Chief Cardiothoracic Centre and Head Cardiology Department AIIMS, Delhi
• Dr Pallavi Saple: Dean of Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai
• Dr Padma Srivastava: Formerly a Professor at the Department of Neurology, AIIMS Delhi

SC asks NTF to make action plan

The apex 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 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. The data as submitted shall be tabulated and filed with an affidavit by the Union Government within one month of this order.

(With PTI inputs)

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