The Supreme Court on Tuesday (October 15, 2024) witnessed both doctors’ bodies and the West Bengal government agree that protesting doctors, except seven who are on a hunger strike, are “all” back at work while the State filed an affidavit stating that 90% to 98% of work on infrastructure and safety upgrades across government medical colleges and hospitals is complete.
Meanwhile, a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud found that the National Task Force (NTF) constituted by the Centre on the orders of the Supreme Court in August had not met after September 9.
The task force was formed to primarily frame a national protocol addressing work safety and infrastructural facilities available to doctors and medical staff at their workplaces across India. The step was taken in the aftermath of the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar medical college and hospital in Kolkata in August.
“But the task force has made no substantial progress. It has not met after September 9,” Chief Justice Chandrachud observed.
“Long-lasting solution”
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said the task force was meant to find a “long-lasting solution”, and this would take time. The NTF had received 7,688 responses from across the country. It would take time to sift through each one of them before actually framing the protocol, Mr. Mehta said.
The Bench gave the NTF three weeks to come out with “tentative recommendations” and place them before the court.
Appearing for the West Bengal government, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi said its safety and infrastructural improvements in government medical colleges, hospitals and medical centres would be completed by October 25. The work at RG Kar would take a few days more, by October 31, to complete as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the rape and murder case gave permissions only on October 9 and October 14. He said the government was in talks with the doctors on hunger strike.
Mr. Dwivedi said the State had started a pilot project called the ‘Integrated Hospital Management System’ to “capture every step of patient treatment”. The system would help patients gain online access to information about medical and other facilities available in government hospitals.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising, for doctors, said the IHMS should also have the capacity to ensure that patient referrals were made to other hospitals with free beds and medical facilities.
Ms. Jaising said patients otherwise turn their ire on doctors for erroneous referrals.
Published - October 15, 2024 09:27 pm IST
