New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday termed the gruelling working conditions faced by resident doctors across the country as “inhuman” and called on the 10-member National Task Force (NTF) it constituted earlier this week to streamline and regulate the working hours of medical professionals.
“We are deeply concerned about the inhuman working hours of resident doctors across the country. Some doctors work 36-hour shifts,” Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said.
“The committee appointed should look into streamlining the on-duty hours of all doctors. 36- or 48-hour shifts are just inhuman!” he added.
The Chief Justice made the observations while hearing a suo motu case related to the rape and murder of a postgraduate medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
The bench, also comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, expressed deep concern over the delays and apparent irregularities in the investigation by Kolkata Police. The court found it “extremely disturbing” that the police had delayed registering the case as an unnatural death.
“One aspect is extremely disturbing, the GD entry of death is recorded at 10:10 am…the securing of the crime scene, the seizures etc was done at 11:30 at night? What was happening all by then?” CJI Chandrachud asked, as quoted by Live Law.
The horrific incident, which occurred on August 9, involved the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor whose body was discovered with severe injuries in a seminar hall at the hospital. The case has since been transferred from Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following an order by the Calcutta High Court on August 13.
The top court directed the National Task Force (NTF), constituted to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals, to hear all stakeholders in the formulation of a national protocol for the safety of doctors.
The court also directed the secretary in the Union health ministry to open a portal where stakeholders can submit suggestions to the task force.
