Health Ministry forms committee to look into instances of Doctor assault

New Delhi: The government has formed a committee headed by a top Health Ministry official to look into the instances of assault on doctors and the need for a central legislation to provide protection to them.

Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said that the inter-ministerial committee was formed following a representation by the Indian Medical Association to them and it has also submitted its report.

“Yes. The government has received the representation from IMA. An inter ministerial committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of additional secretary (health)... ...comprising representatives from Law and Justice ministry, department of Consumer Affairs, Home Ministry, Medical Council of India and three representatives from IMA to examine the issues raised by IMA”, the Minister said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

The Terms of Reference (TOR) of the inter-ministerial committee include frequent instances of assault on doctors and clinical establishments across the country and the need for a central legislation for providing protection to the same.

The ToR also include urgent amendments in the PC and PNDT act to ensure that strict penalties are imposed only on actual act of sex determination and not for clerical errors in maintenance of registers.

The IMA is also of the view that registration should be of ultrasound machine and not of doctors not doing pelvic ultrasound, the minister said.

The other ToR include suitable amendments should be made in the consumer protection act for capping the compensation amount as the current practice apart from being very high at times was also tilted in favour of persons with higher income.

The ToR also include that non MBBS and non BDS doctors should not be allowed to prescribe medicines under modern system and other stream practitioners like AYUSH doctors should not be allowed to practice through bridge courses and government orders.