Why in news?

The Supreme Court has constituted a national task force (NTF) of senior medical professionals to formulate comprehensive safety protocols for healthcare workers across India.

This decision comes in the wake of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, which has sparked widespread protests among the medical fraternity demanding enhanced safety measures.

The Supreme Court bench took suo motu cognisance of the case, emphasising the urgent need for a national consensus on standard safety protocols for medical professionals.

What’s in today’s article?

• Current situation w.r.t safety protocols for healthcare workers across India
• SC forms National Task Force

Current situation w.r.t safety protocols for healthcare workers across India

• Legal provisions
  • As per constitutional provisions, health and law and order are State subjects.
  • Hence, it is the primary responsibility of the State government or Union Territory administration to take note of events and eventualities, and do what is necessary to prevent violence.
  • The details of the number of fatalities of medical professionals due to attacks by families of patients are not maintained centrally.
• Need for a safe work environment
  • Experts have pointed out that medical colleges often have ill-lit corridors, poorly secured wards, and long distances between departments.
  • There is an urgent need to improve working and living conditions by ensuring proper lighting, security guards, cameras, and manned walk-throughs between departments, operation theatres, and emergency areas.
  • These simple measures could make a real difference.
• Examples from developed countries
  • Violence against healthcare workers is a global issue, but several countries have implemented effective measures to protect their medical professionals.
  • The U.K.’s NHS enforces a zero-tolerance policy on violence, supported by a dedicated security team and a comprehensive reporting system.
  • In the U.S., some States classify assaults on healthcare workers as felonies, acting as a strong deterrent.
  • Australian hospitals have introduced safety measures like security personnel, panic buttons, and mandatory de-escalation training.
  • India must urgently introduce a Central protection Act and adopt similar measures to take stringent actions to ensure a safer environment for its healthcare workers.

SC forms National Task Force

• The Supreme Court on Tuesday formed a 10-member National Task Force to make a blueprint for the safety and facility of healthcare workers at their workplace.
• Members
  • The newly established NTF comprises a distinguished panel of medical experts from various specialisations, including:
    • Surgeon Vice-Admiral Aarti Sarin
    • Dr D Nageshwar Reddy
    • Dr M Shreenivas
    • Dr Pratima Murty
    • Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri
    • Dr Saumitra Rawat
    • Anita Saxena
    • Pallavi Sapre, Dean
    • Dr Padma Srivastava
  • In addition to the core members, the NTF will also include ex officio members such as:
    • the Cabinet Secretary to the Government of India,
    • the Home Secretary,
    • the Secretary of the Union Health Ministry,
    • the Chairperson of the National Medical Commission, and
    • the President of the National Board of Examiners.
  • Responsibilities
    • The NTF has been tasked with the critical responsibility of devising an action plan to ensure the safety and well-being of medical professionals.
    • It will particularly focus on preventing gender-based violence and creating dignified working conditions for interns, resident doctors, and non-resident doctors.
  • Areas to be addressed: The action plan will address several key areas, including:
    • Enhancing security in emergency rooms and other critical areas.
    • Implementing baggage screening to prevent the entry of arms.
    • Restricting the number of non-patient visitors.
    • Managing crowd control effectively.
    • Providing restrooms and gender-neutral spaces for medical staff.
    • Introducing biometric and facial recognition systems.
    • Improving lighting and installing CCTV in all hospital areas.
    • Arranging transport for medical professionals between 10 pm and 6 am.
    • Conducting workshops on handling grief and crisis situations.
    • Performing quarterly audits of institutional safety measures.
    • Establishing a police force commensurate with hospital footfall.
    • Applying the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act to medical establishments, ensuring the constitution of an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).
    • Setting up an emergency helpline for medical professionals.