These members of National Task Force will formulate security protocols for hospitals

Satya Prakash

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New Delhi, August 20

Noting that “The nation cannot await a rape or murder for real changes on the ground”, the Supreme court on Tuesday set up a National Task Force (NTF) to formulate protocols for hospitals across India.

“We have…formed the view that a national consensus must be evolved — after due consultation with all stakeholders — on the urgent need to formulate protocols governing the issues (safety of medical professionals), which this order has highlighted,” a bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud said in its order.

Consisting of a diverse body of persons with experience in healthcare institutions and medical profession, the top court ordered that NTF would include the following experts:

1. Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, AVSM, VSM, Director General, Medical Services (Navy)
2. Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad
3. Dr M Srinivas, Director, AIIMS Delhi
4. Dr Pratima Murthy, Director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru
5. Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri, Executive Director, AIIMS Jodhpur
6. Dr Saumitra Rawat, chairperson, Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, GI and HPB Onco-Surgery and Liver Transplantation and Member, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi and Member, Court of Examiners, Royal College of Surgeons, England
7. Professor Anita Saxena, Vice-Chancellor, Pandit BD Sharma Medical University, Rohtak and formerly Dean of Academics, Chief Cardio-thoracic Centre and Head Cardiology Department at AIIMS Delhi
8. Dr Pallavi Saple, Dean, Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumba
9. Dr Padma Srivastava, formerly Professor at Department of Neurology, AIIMS Delhi, and currently serving as Chairperson of Neurology at Paras Health Gurugram

Besides the above-mentioned experts, the following shall be the ex-officio members of NTF:

1. Cabinet Secretary, Government of India
2. Home Secretary, Government of India
3. Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
4. Chairperson, National Medical Commission and
5. President, National Board of Examinations

The top court asked NTF to formulate effective recommendations to remedy the issues of concern pertaining to safety, working conditions and wellbeing of medical professionals and other cognate matters highlighted in its order.

While preparing its recommendations/action plan, the Bench asked NTF to consider preventing violence, including gender-based violence against medical professionals and the aspect of providing an enforceable national protocol for dignified and safe working conditions for interns, residents, senior residents, doctors, nurses and all medical professionals.