Prevention of Violence against Doctors Bill Tabled in parliament

The bill provisions stated that any offence committed under this Act shall be cognizable and non-bailable and triable by the Court of Judicial Magistrate of the First Class. Any acts of violence against doctors, medical professionals and medical institutions be punishable with imprisonment upto 5 years and liable for payment of damages upto Rs 5 lakh.

New Delhi: Growing attacks on medical practitioners has become a matter of high concern in recent times. To keep a check and control such growing incidents, Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde tabled 'Prevention of Violence against Doctors, Medical professionals, and Medical Institutions Bill, 2018', a private bill in the Lok Sabha demanding strict action against those who create violence in the hospital against doctors.

The bill calls that any act of violence against doctors, medical professionals or medical institutions shall be prohibited and mitigated at all levels. It defined doctors to include allopathic as well as the practitioners of Indian Systems of medicine, as well as those in possession of a recognized degree or professional qualification sought overseas to Indian soil to treat people who are sick or come to him for any form of service, advice or consultation.

It includes medical professionals meaning all those people who practice or profess services associated to medical profession including those of nurses, radiologists, technicians, medical social workers, pharmacists, medical administrators, para-medical staff and practitioners including those seeking or imparting medical education, as the case may be

The bill provisions stated that any offence committed under this Act shall be cognizable and non-bailable and triable by the Court of Judicial Magistrate of the First Class. Any acts of violence against doctors, medical professionals and medical institutions be punishable with imprisonment upto 5 years and liable for payment of damages upto Rs 5 lakh.

...Whoever, commits or attempts to commit or abets or incites the commission of any act of violence in infringement of the provisions of section 3, shall be punished with imprisonment which shall not be less than six months but which may extend upto five years and with fine which shall not be less than rupees five thousand but which may extend upto rupees five lakh in addendum to recovery of the entire damage to the property or belonging of all concerned including the witnesses if any; in actual....

..If the accused does not pay or is financially incompetent to pay the penalty at that time, it shall be recovered as if it were an arrear of land revenue and any property or belonging to them or his relatives (as per the existing provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860), may be attached in recovery of the said penalty....

The Bill also specifies certain provisions for handling medical negligence cases

Attached is the Bill Below.

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