‘State yet to make proper use of forensic medicine’

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 17

The status of forensic medicine and medico legal services in Punjab has not touched the desired levels so far. This was stated by Dr Diwan Bhullar, president, Punjab Academy of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology (PAFMAT), here today.

Addressing delegates at the 16th annual conference of PAFMAT on ‘Advancing forensic medicine and medico-legal services’ at Government Medical College, Bhullar said, “The specialty of forensic medicine is being ignored at all levels. In fact, more than 80 per cent work in the state is being looked after by doctors, who are neither expert nor have proper training in the medico-legal examination of living being as well as corpus. This hits the quality of work.”

Experts in the conference said nowadays, not many doctors were opting for specialisation in forensic medicine for one reason or the other.

Dr Akashdeep Aggarwal said, “Successive governments failed to retain forensic experts in the state. The government should create more job opportunities for forensic medicine experts. Posts of forensic medicine specialist should be created at the district level and PCMS-cadre forensic medicine specialists should be posted in the proposed state chemical laboratories.”

Dr Avnish Kumar, Director Research & Medical Education, Punjab, who inaugurated the conference, said such conferences were useful in helping doctors keep pace with advancing techniques in the medical and health fields.

Dr KK Aggarwal, Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine, said deliberations in this conference would go a long way in improving the standards of the specialty and services in the region.

A scientific journal of the academy was also released during the programme.