In response to the tragic incident involving a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Supreme Court has established a National Task Force to recommend comprehensive safety protocols for doctors. This task force, which includes the AIG chairman and the  AIIMS director, will develop nationwide guidelines to enhance the protection and security of medical professionals across hospitals and medical colleges in India.

The Task Force includes nine external members, along with ex-officio members from the government.

Members of the task force

The external members are:

• Surgeon Vice Admiral Dr Arti Sarin
• Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman of Hyderabad-based Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG)
• Dr M Srinivas, Director, AIIMS Delhi
• Dr Prathima Moorthy, Director, NIMHANS, Bangalore
• Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri, Executive Director, AIIMS Jodhpur
• Dr Saumitra Rawat, Chairperson, Ganga Ram Hospital
• Prof Anita Saxena, Vice-Chancellor of Pandit BD Sharma University of Health Sciences
• Dr Pallavi Saple, Dean, Grant Medical College
• Dr Padma Srivastav, Chairperson, Neurology, Paras Health

The ex-officio members of the National Task Force include:

• The Cabinet Secretary
• The Home Secretary
• The Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• The Chairperson of the National Medical Commission
• The President of the National Board of Examiners

The Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra directed the National Task Force to submit their interim report within three weeks and their final report within two months.

The CJI has instructed the Task Force to make recommendations concerning the safety, working conditions, and well-being of medical professionals, as highlighted in the order.

According to the order, the NTF is required to furnish an interim report in three weeks and a final report within two months. All states and Union Territories through their secretaries in health departments and the Union government through their secretary in the Ministry of Health must collate info from all hospitals run by the states and the Union government on the following aspects:

• How many security professionals are employed at each hospital?
• Whether there is baggage screening at entry
• Number of resting rooms
• Facilities provided in such rooms
• If all areas in hospital can be accessed by CCTV
• Training for hanging grief of patients
• If there are police outposts outside the hospital
• If ICC as per POSH is in place

The court hearing

Terming the rape and murder of a medic at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital as horrific, the Supreme Court strongly criticized the West Bengal government for the delay in filing an FIR in the matter.

Taking Suo motu cognizance of the case, the top court stated that this incident raised systemic issues regarding the safety of doctors across India.

The bench took cognizance of the incident, and remarked, “If women are not able to go to work and their working conditions are not safe, we are denying them equality.”

The Supreme Court slammed the West Bengal government for the delay in filing an FIR in the rape-murder case and questioned the actions of the hospital authorities, asking, “What were they doing?”

“It appears the crime was detected in the early hours, but the medical college principal tried to pass it off as a suicide,” observed the bench.

The bench further criticized the Kolkata Police, asking how a mob of thousands managed to enter the RG Kar Medical College. It also questioned why the principal of RG Kar Hospital, whose conduct was under scrutiny, was immediately appointed to another college.

The court stated that the power of the West Bengal government should not be unleashed on protestors, emphasizing that this is a time of national catharsis.