NEW DELHI: In a significant move, the Supreme Court on Tuesday constituted a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) headed by Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin to formulate guidelines for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and healthcare staff in hospitals across India.
During the hearing in the case relating to the death of the trainee doctor at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, the three-judge bench of the top court led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud termed the incident as "horrific and horrendous", adding that it was a systemic failure of the state machinery. The apex court also criticised the Kolkata police and state for allowing a mob to vandalise the hospital.
It said that the task force should look into the safety and well-being of medical professionals.
The NTF shall consider the following to prepare an action plan:
Prevent gender-based violence
National plan to prepare dignified working of interns, resident, non-resident doctors
Areas of emergency room needed for additional security
Baggage screening to prevent arms from entering
Not allowing people beyond a limit if they are not patients
Security to manage crowd
Rest rooms for doctors and gender-neutral spaces for resting of doctors, nurses
Areas to have biometrics and facial recognition
Proper lighting of all areas, installation of CCTV in all places
Availability of Transport from 10 pm to 6 am for medical professions
Conducting workshops for handling grief and crisis
Quarterly audits of institutional safety measures
Establishing a police force commensurate with footfall
ICC to be constituted as POSH Act applies to medical establishments
Helpline number for emergency medical professionals.
"The NTF is required to submit an interim report within 3 weeks and a final report in 2 months from the date of this order," the apex court said in its order.
Expressing its serious concern about the death of the doctor, the apex court warned the West Bengal government that it should not unleash any power on peaceful protesters, who were staging protests on this issue against the police or anyone else.
"Let there not be the power of the state be unleashed on them at all," the apex court said in its order.
It also said that a national consensus must be evolved. The others who would be a part of the NTF are Surgeon Vice Admiral R Sarin, Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Dr M Shreenivas, Dr Pratima Murty, Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri, Dr Saumitra Rawat, Prof Anita Saxena, Head Cardiology, AIIMS Delhi, Prof Pallavi Sapre, Dean Grant Medical College Mumbai, Dr Padma Srivastava, Neurology dept, AIIMS, Ex officio members of the national task force, Cabinet Secretary to govt of India, Home secretary to govt of India, secretary union health ministry, chairperson of the National Medical Commission, president of the national board of examiners.
The apex court also directed the CBI to file the status report by August 22 on investigation in the case, when it would take up the matter further.
Kapil Sibal, the senior lawyer for the West Bengal government, told the apex court that 37 accused have been arrested and 50 FIRs have been filed in the case.
The CJI also in its order recorded that the court was deeply concerned that there is a virtual absence of safe conditions for residents, non-resident doctors and the women doctors who are more vulnerable. The young doctors have to put in long hours, the order noted. "We need to evolve a national consensus for a standard national protocol for safe conditions of work," he said.
"Ultimately, what is equality under the constitution if women cannot be safe in their workplace," he asked.
