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The Supreme Court said the Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Health Secretary, Chairman of the National Medical Council and Chairman of the National Examinations Board should be ex-officio members of the task force. (PTI file photo)
The 10-member task force was set up by the Supreme Court last week after it took the initiative to examine the case of rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, which triggered widespread protests including among medical staff, affecting health services.
The National Task Force (NTF), appointed by the Supreme Court, will hold its first meeting on Tuesday to work out protocols to ensure safety of doctors and other medical professionals, sources said.
Last week, the Supreme Court took up on its own motion the case of rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, which triggered widespread protests including among medical staff and affected health services, following which a 10-member special task force was formed.
The top court said the cabinet secretary, home secretary, health secretary, chairman of the National Medical Council and chairman of the National Examinations Board should be ex-officio members of the task force.
The task force includes Director General of Naval Medical Services, Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospital, Hyderabad, Dr M Srinivas, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, Dr Pratima Murthy, Director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri, Executive Dean, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Dr Saumitra Rawat, Chairman, Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal and HPB Oncology Surgery and Liver Transplantation and Member of the Managing Committee, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.
The other members include: Prof. Anita Saxena, Vice-Chancellor, Pandit BD Sharma Medical University, Rohtak, Dr. Pallavi Saple, Dean, Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, and Dr. Padma Srivastava, former professor, Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi.
The Indian Ministry of Health issued a memorandum last Wednesday, which mentioned the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the NTF.
The terms of reference authorize the NTF to develop effective advice on the safety, working conditions and well-being of healthcare professionals and other related matters.
The Supreme Court has asked the NTF to prepare an action plan covering two aspects: 1. Preventing violence (including gender-based violence) against medical professionals and providing safe working conditions; 2. Preventing sexual violence against medical professionals.
The NTF will look into establishing a bag and person screening system at every entrance to hospitals to ensure that weapons are not brought into health care facilities and prevent intoxicated persons from entering hospitals unless they are patients.
In terms of infrastructure development, the terms of reference stipulate that each department should provide separate lounges and duty rooms for male and female doctors, male and female nurses; as well as public resting spaces regardless of gender.
The NTF will also explore the possibility of setting up police posts in health facilities commensurate with the flow of people, number of beds and facilities.
(This article has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from United News Agency – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf）
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