SC to hear plea on safety, security of govt hospitals doctors today

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said it will hear on June 18 a plea seeking safety and security of doctors in government hospitals across the country.

A vacation bench of justices Deepak Gupta and Surya Kant agreed to list the matter for Tuesday after the counsel appearing for the petitioner, advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, sought urgent hearing. The petition, which was filed on Friday, has also sought directions to Union ministries of home affairs and health and West Bengal to depute government-appointed security personnel at all state-run hospitals to ensure safety and security of doctors.

Due to the protests, health care services in the country have been badly disrupted and many people are dying because of absence of doctors, the plea said.

“The Indian Medical Association has supported the agitation of the doctors and has directed its members of all its state branches to stage protests and wear black badges on Friday. Many senior doctors have resigned from their government posts in order to express solidarity with the agitating doctors,” it said. The plea also sought directions to Bengal government to take the strictest legal and penal action against those who assaulted junior doctors.

“As per the study conducted by IMA, more than 75% of doctors across the country have faced some form of violence. This study concluded that 50 percent violent incidents took place in the Intensive Care Unit of hospitals and in 70% of cases, the relatives of the patients were actively involved,” it said. It sought directions to formulate appropriate guidelines or law to ensure safety and security of doctors at government hospitals and to ensure its compliance.

OVER 75% DOCS IN OUR COUNTRY FACED SOME FORM OF VIOLENCE, SAYS A STUDY BY IMA