Delhi Medical Association moves Supreme Court for guidelines to prevent attacks on doctors, health workers; seeks directions for compensation

The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) has moved the Supreme Court against increasing incidents of assault, verbal abuse, threat, physical attacks and public lynching against doctors and other healthcare workers by relatives and friends of patients.

The petition asked the top court to lay down guidelines to have a security system in place to ensure a safe working environment for medical service personnel/ professionals and healthcare workers.

"There has been extreme incidents of public lynching where some unfortunate incidents have led to death of the doctors/ health workers," the plea said.

The petitioners also sought directions to adopt adequate preventive, punitive and compensatory measures/ mechanism to prevent any kind of violence or public lynching against medical service personnel and healthcare workers.

The plea further urged the Court to issue guidelines regarding granting compensation to families of deceased healthcare workers.

The petition stated that there needs to be guidelines to evolve an effective and balanced rescue mechanism system for both the health workers and the patients in the form of help desk in every healthcare/ clinical establishments and facilities to intervene immediately to address the problem so that any kind of assault, violence or public lynching can be avoided.

The petition, filed through advocate Sneha Kalita, highlighted twenty-eight incidents of violent attacks on doctors or health care workers since 2017.

"Out of 28 States and 8 Union territories ( UTs), only in 23 States and 2 Union Territories have their own legislation/Acts with provisions of punishment whosoever committed violence against healthcare professionals/ Healthcare workers and damage to property of its Establishment," the petition said.