The Union Health Ministry issued an Office Memorandum on Wednesday regarding the formation of a National Task Force (NTF) to ensure the safety and well-being of medical professionals across India. This 14-member task force was established following the Supreme Court‘s directive on August 20, 2024, in response to rising concerns about violence against healthcare workers.
The task force will be led by the Cabinet Secretary of the Government of India, with other members including senior government officials, medical experts, and healthcare leaders. Among the notable members are the Home Secretary, the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Chairperson of the National Medical Commission, and several distinguished directors and professors from prestigious medical institutions like AIIMS and NIMHANS.
The NTF’s primary mandate is to formulate an action plan that addresses two critical areas:
•Prevention of Violence Against Medical Professionals: This includes developing strategies to protect doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers from physical and verbal attacks, ensuring a safer working environment.
•Safe Working Conditions: The task force will also create a national protocol to guarantee dignified and secure working conditions for all medical professionals, including interns and residents.
The task force is expected to submit an interim report within three weeks, with a final report due within two months from the date of the Supreme Court order. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will provide logistical and financial support to the NTF.
The Supreme Court’s intervention comes in the wake of the recent rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, which ignited widespread protests and a strike by the medical community across India. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has been advocating for a central law to address the increasing violence against healthcare workers, emphasizing the need for urgent government action to protect those on the front lines of the country’s healthcare system.
The formation of the NTF is a significant step towards addressing these concerns, with the hope that the recommendations will lead to concrete measures to safeguard medical professionals and improve their working conditions nationwide.
