Health Ministry Issues Office Memorandum On National Task Force For Safety Of Doctors

Union Health Ministry on Wednesday issued an office memorandum on the National Task Force for safety of doctors.

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday issued an office memorandum on the National Task Force for the the safety of doctors, following the Supreme Court order on August 20. 

The 14-member task force comprises ex-officio members and experts. It includes: 

1. Cabinet Secretary, Government of India - Chairperson

2. Home Secretary, Government of India

3. Secretary, M/o Health and Family Welfare Member Secretary Government of India

4. Chairperson, National Medical Commission

5. President, National Board of Examinations

6. Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, AVSM, VSM, Director General Medical Services (Navy)

7. Dr. D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad

8. Dr. M. Srinivas, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, (AIIMS), Delhi

9. Dr. Pratima Murthy, Director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru

10. Dr. Goverdhan Dutt Puri, Executive Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur;

11. Dr. Saumitra Rawat, Chairperson, Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, GI and HPB Onco-Surgery and Liver Transplantation and Member, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.

12. Professor Anita Saxena, Vice-Chancellor, Pandit BD Sharma Medical University, Rohtak, Formerly Dean of Academics, Chief-Cardiothoracic Centre and Head Cardiology Department at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi;

13. Dr. Pallavi Saple, Dean, Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai

14. Dr. Padma Srivastava, formerly Professor at the Department of Neurology, AIIMS, Delhi. Currently Chairperson of Neurology at Paras Health Gurugram

The NTF has been directed to submit an interim report within three weeks time, followed by the final report within two months from the Supreme Court's order on August 20.

"The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will provide logistical support including making arrangements for travel, stay, and secreterial assistance and bear the travel expenses and other related expenses of the members of the NTF," the health ministry statement read.

The top court had taken suo motu congnizance of the case of trainee doctor's rape and murder at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, which trigerred massive nationwide protests by doctors. The NTF force was cnstituted by the Supreme Court to develop a national protocal for safety of healthcare professionals at their workplaces.