Fri Nov 15 21:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Supreme Court Task Force Rejects Call for Separate Law on Violence Against Healthcare Workers

**New Delhi, November 16, 2024** – A National Task Force (NTF) report submitted to the Supreme Court recommends against enacting a separate central law to protect healthcare professionals from violence. The report, filed in response to the suo motu case concerning the R.G. Kar rape and murder case, contends that existing state laws and the recently implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) are sufficient.

The NTF found that 24 states already have laws addressing violence against healthcare workers, with two more states having introduced similar bills. The BNS, the report argues, adequately covers serious offences. For states lacking specific protective legislation, the BNS can be immediately applied.

This recommendation directly contradicts the Indian Medical Association (IMA)’s persistent demand for a strong central law, a position the IMA reiterated in a letter to the NTF. The IMA called for a “deterrent Central law” and for hospitals to be designated as safe zones.

The NTF report acknowledges the government’s efforts to strengthen women’s safety, highlighting the BNS’s expanded provisions addressing crimes against women. The report suggests a three-tiered approach (short-term, medium-term, and long-term) to improving safety, incorporating suggestions from various associations and individuals.

Recommendations include deploying trained security personnel, improving hospital infrastructure (CCTV, secure access, better lighting), establishing robust communication protocols, and ensuring a senior doctor’s presence in emergency areas at all times. The NTF also stressed the importance of prompt FIR filing (within six hours) for all incidents of violence. Poor communication between medical professionals and patients’ families was identified as a key contributor to violence.

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