National Task Force for doctors' safety holds first meeting, members say received at least 300 suggestions

The 10-member National Task Force (NTF) was constituted after the apex court last week took suo motu cognisance of the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata which sparked nationwide protests.

New Delhi: The National Task Force on doctor’s safety would hear the states’ views on the safety protocols followed in the hospitals on Wednesday even as some of the individual panel members received 300-400 suggestions on improving the safety standards, sources in the Union Health Ministry said.

“A meeting will be held on Aug 28 through video conferencing to discuss short term measures regarding security of medical professionals with State Chief Secretaries and DGPs. It will be co-chaired by the Union Home Secretary and Union Health Secretary,” an official said here on Tuesday after the task force’s first meeting.

Chaired by the Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, the task force was set up last week on the direction of the Supreme Court, which suo motu took cognizance of the gruesome rape and murder of a young female doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and decided to look into doctors’ safety issues as medicos hit the streets on protests.

The 14-member panel is to submit an interim report within three weeks and the final report by Oct 20 – two months from the day of the SC order.

At the first meeting, it has been decided to open a portal to collect all suggestions, which will be collated by the Union Health Ministry. The portal is now operational on the health ministry’s home page.

“The members informed the panel that they have been approached directly by various stakeholders and have individually received almost 300 to 400 suggestions,” sources said, adding that states had been asked to share information on the security scenario at medical institutions.

The task force will look into two broad areas: ensuring due security in medical establishments and improving infrastructure at the hospitals.