In the aftermath of the horrendous RG Kar Hospital crime, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has set up a form for any to give ” Suggestions to NTF ( National Task Force)  on safety, working conditions and well-being of medical professionals and other cognate matters”.

This form can be found via the link https://lawandpatients.in/ntf . Please feel free to put your suggestions there.

Any act of violence is to be decried. And no doubts doctors sometimes operate in an environment where they are facing an already stressed out patient / family. Who, seeing the lack of relief ( which may be due to no fault of the doctors but due to a pathetic medical infrastructure, overloaded personnel etc. ) may try to vent out that frustration on medical staff.

However, such acts can be- and usually are- quickly brought under control since the whole setup is completely under control of the Hospital authorities.

On the other hand, the patient is completely at mercy of the doctors/ hospitals, and exposed to very serious acts of violence- which may extend to even rapes and murders. And many may not even be detected , happen as they do behind closed doors and on unconscious patients - in ICUS for example. A video of a very recent incident can be found at the link above.

Let not crimes by doctors/ medical fraternity amongst themselves be used as a ruse to curtail even more the patient rights. Any law must not discriminate against patients and should instead be patient friendly.  Any evidence - such as CCTV footage- available to a medical professional- should also be made available to patients in other circumstances if demanded by them.

Please do put your suggestions to the National Task force. You may also mail contactlawpatients@gmail.com with the same.

Stay safe and healthy, and help your dear ones also remain the same - share this petition with them and let us increase our collective voice for ethical medical treatment.