Health ministry issues office memorandum on task force for medicos' safety

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday issued an Office Memorandum on the National Task Force, formed by the Supreme Court for the medical professionals' safety.

The panel will be headed by Cabinet Secretary, Government of India as its Chairperson has been constituted following the Supreme Court's direction on August 20.

"The 14-member task force comprises ex-officio members and experts. It includes, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India - Chairperson, Home Secretary, Government of India, Secretary, M/o Health and Family Welfare Member Secretary Government of India, Chairperson, National Medical Commission, President, National Board of Examinations, Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, AVSM, VSM, 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, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, (AIIMS), Delhi, Dr Pratima Murthy, Director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri, Executive Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 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, Professor Anita Saxena, Vice-Chancellor, Pandit BD Sharma Medical University, Rohtak, Formerly Dean of Academics, Chief-Cardiothoracic Centre and Head Cardiology Department at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, Dr Pallavi Saple, Dean, Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, Dr Padma Srivastava, formerly Professor at the Department of Neurology, AIIMS, Delhi. Currently Chairperson of Neurology at Paras Health Gurugram," it stated.

 

The office memorandum stated that the NTF shall submit an interim report within three weeks and the final report within two months from the date of the order of the Supreme Court of India, dated August 20.

"The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will provide logistical support including making travel arrangements, stay and secretarial assistance and bear the travel expenses and other related expenses of the members of the NTF," it said.

The NTF shall formulate effective recommendations to remedy the issues of concern about safety, working conditions and well-being of medical professionals and other related matters, the statement said.

The NTF shall prepare an action plan categorized under two heads- prevention of violence against medical professionals and providing safe working conditions, and providing an enforceable national protocol for dignified and safe working conditions for interns, residents, senior residents, doctors, nurses and all medical professionals.

"The phrase medical professionals encompasses every medical professional including doctors, medical students who are undergoing their compulsory rotating medical internship (CRMI) as a part of the MBBS course, resident doctors and senior resident doctors and nurses (including those who are nursing interns)," it said.

"The NTF shall be at liberty to make recommendations on all aspects of the action plan and any other aspects, which the members seek to cover. NTF would be at liberty to make additional suggestions, where appropriate. The NTF shall also suggest appropriate timelines for the implementation of the recommendations. The NTF may consult relevant stakeholders in this regard," it added.

Due to the ongoing strike by the Resident Doctors, the OPDs are affected by 65 per cent, admission by 40 per cent, Operation theatres reduced by 90 pc, laboratory services reduced by 30 pc, Radiological investigations by 55 per cent, Nuclear Medicine by 20 per cent till Wednesday 4:30 pm at AIIMS, Delhi.

Earlier today, the IMA wrote to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, highlighting the urgent need for bringing a central law to deal with attacks on medics and healthcare establishments and pointing out that a special exigency exists to violence on doctors and hospitals.

The IMA also expressed gratitude to JP Nadda for receiving its delegation on August 13 regarding the issue of a central law on violence on doctors and hospitals, safety and security at the workplaces of healthcare personnel and the working and living conditions of resident doctors.

It mentioned that the IMA had called for withdrawing the services of the medical fraternity, except for casualties and emergencies, across India on August 17.

"The withdrawal of service was near total in almost all the districts of the country," it added.

It mentioned that the Supreme Court has intervened in the rape-and-murder case of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College and Hospital and formed a National Task Force (NTF) in this regard.

"The issue of promulgating an ordinance for the Central Act for the protection of healthcare professionals remains to be addressed. The IMA is keen on a Central Act in this regard," the letter said.

It also submitted a list of facts for JP Nadda's consideration.

"Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 was enacted by Parliament at the request of four states, even though hospitals and dispensaries come under the Constitution's State List," it added.

The IMA also highlighted that a draft legislation -- the Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019 -- was placed in the public domain after due consultations with all the stakeholders. The Union home and law ministries were involved, along with the health ministry, in drafting the Bill.

It also mentioned the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 was proclaimed on April 22, 2020, amending the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 during the COVID-19 setting.

The IMA said "Doctors stand as a separate class due to the nature of their professional services. The Supreme Court acknowledged that in the Jacob Mathew vs State of Punjab and Another judgment of 2004."

"There are special laws enacted for specific exigencies like the POCSO Act as well. We, the Indian Medical Association appeal to you that a special exigency exists about the violence on doctors and hospitals. The doctors are vulnerable in their workplace. The State has a bounden duty to provide safety and security to the doctors and other healthcare personnel. 'Right to Life' is a fundamental right," reads the letter by IMA.

"25 state legislations in this regard have not prevented violence across the country. Very few FIRs have been lodged and very few convictions have happened. There is an urgent need to bring in a Central Act on Violence on Doctors and Hospitals. This is felt acutely by the medical fraternity of India," it added.

"We demand that the draft bill 2019 incorporating the amendment clauses of the Epidemic Diseases Amendment Act, 2020 and the Code Grey Protocol of Kerala Government "Prevention Management of Violence against Healthcare workers" be proclaimed as an ordinance to instill confidence into the minds of the Doctors of India," the letter read.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court constituted a 10-member National Task Force to make recommendations on the prevention of violence and safe working conditions for medical professionals. The task force includes Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, among others.

Days after the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata sparked nationwide protests, the apex court suo motu took up the case and directed the task force to submit an interim report within three weeks and a final report within two months.

The top court also asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a status report on the status of the investigation in the rape case. The court asked the West Bengal government to file a status report on the mob attack incident in the RG Kar hospital on August 15.

On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, sparking nationwide strikes and protests by the medical community.