Health Bulletin 18/May/2023

Here are the top health stories for the day:

Supreme Court directs state to hold fresh elections for new medical council

Refusing to stay the order of the Telangana High Court, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Telangana Government to conduct the elections of the council within 3 months for 13 members.

In its order, the Telangana HC bench had asked the State Government for conducting the polls for the medical council without increasing the number of the state-sponsored nominees.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the plea before High Court had been filed by Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA). The association had raised the issue of not conducting Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) elections since 2007. Apart from this, the association had also pointed out the illegal continuation of nominated members for more than a decade as interim ad-hoc body and reduction of elected members from 13 to 5.

For more details check out the link given below:

Supreme Court directs state to hold fresh elections for new medical council

Delhi HC bars Zydus Wellness from using brand name sugarlite

In a major setback to Zydus Wellness, the Delhi High Court has barred the consumer goods giant from using brand name Sugarlite in any permutation and combination for its products, and has given a dairy products company, Delhi Marketing, the exclusive rights to use the brand name ‘SUGARLITE.’

A division bench comprising of Justice Manmohan and Justice Saurabh Banerjee observed that not only the competing marks were identical, the respective products were also allied and cognate products as they are procured from the same source in the market and sold over the counter to almost the same class of purchasers. Hence, there was a likelihood of confusion in the minds of general public.

For more details check out the link given below:

Delhi HC bars Zydus Wellness from using brand name Sugarlite

Seven years of jail if someone attacks doctors in Kerala

Taking note of the continuous violence against doctors following the unfortunate demise of Dr Vandana Das, who was recently stabbed to death by a patient, the Kerala Government has approved an ordinance aimed at protecting doctors, healthcare workers, and medical students.

The Government ordinance which proposed amendment in Kerala Health Care Service Workers and Health Care Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act 2012, has prescribed up to seven years of jail for anyone who attacks and causes bodily harm to any healthcare worker or professional. Apart from this, such a person would be liable to pay a fine between Rs one lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

For more details check out the link given below:

Seven Years Of Jail If Someone Attacks Doctors In Kerala

JIPMER Director, Gynaecologist held liable for negligence in laparoscopy surgery, told to pay Rs 23 lakh compensation

The Director of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) and a professor of gynaecology at the institution have been held vicariously liable for the negligence that resulted in the death of a female patient who underwent a gynaecological laparoscopy procedure.

Establishing JIPMER's culpability in the case of medical negligence, the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the institution and the Gynaecologist to pay “jointly and severally a sum of Rs 22,94,986 lakh towards compensation with interest at the rate of 9% from the date of complaint (February 17, 2017) till the realisation” to the parents of the deceased patient.

For more details check out the link given below:

JIPMER Director, Gynaecologist Held Liable For Negligence In Laparoscopy Surgery, Told To Pay Rs 23 Lakh Compensation