Doctors deplore National Task Force report, demand stringent central protection act to deter the violence'

 The NTF has ignored the ground realities and Betrayed the medical profession.

Ensuring the Safety of Medical Professionals: Insights from the National Task Force Formed by the Supreme Court

The National Task Force (NTF) report underscores that 24 states have implemented laws aimed at combating violence against healthcare workers, with two additional states actively pursuing similar legislative measures.

The NTF, in its report submitted to the Supreme Court, indicated that existing state regulations and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), are sufficient to address violence against healthcare professionals.

According to the report, "State laws have adequate provisions to deal with both minor offenses and serious incidents, which can be managed under the BNS. Therefore, there is no necessity for a separate central law focused on offenses against healthcare professionals," as reported by The Hindu.

The report also examined whether current law enforcement mechanisms required enhancement to better protect medical professionals. It highlighted that 24 states have enacted laws tailored to this issue, with definitions provided for the terms "healthcare professional" and "medical professional." Additionally, two more states have advanced bills concerning the same. Most state laws address minor offenses and stipulate corresponding punishments, while serious and heinous crimes are sufficiently covered by the BNS.

Established on August 20 by a Supreme Court bench led by then Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra, the National Task Force focuses on ensuring the safety of healthcare workers.

Previously, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) urged the NTF to initiate a stringent central law to protect doctors and healthcare staff, as well as to designate hospitals as safe zones.

In a letter to the NTF, the IMA stated, “A deterrent central law is the only preventive strategy that can be uniformly applied across all states. We, as the medical professionals of India, expect the National Task Force to meet our expectations and restore confidence in the beleaguered medical community.”

The task force has gathered input from 53 associations and around 1,700 individuals or hospitals. In evaluating safety measures, they considered over 8,000 government and private healthcare facilities with more than 100 beds.

Furthermore, the NTF proposed the swift filing of First Information Reports (FIRs), including zero FIRs, within a six-hour window following any incidents of violence against medical personnel. The task force also identified inadequate communication between healthcare providers and patients' families as a crucial factor contributing to frustration, mistrust, and tension leading to violent confrontations and mob attacks.

IMA vowed to continue it's POLITICAL& JUDICIARY  battle demanding a Robust law ensuring doctors’ safety.Let's strengthen the hands of leaders of IMA'