court steps in amid nationwide outrage over healthcare violence
NEW DELHI: India’s Supreme Court has mandated the formation of a national task force to address security concerns for healthcare workers, following the rape and murder of a doctor that ignited widespread protests and medical strikes.
The 31-year-old doctor’s bloodied body was discovered at a state-run hospital in Kolkata on August 9, provoking nationwide outrage over persistent violence against women. The case has led to strikes by doctors’ associations from government-run hospitals across India, disrupting non-essential services and fueling protests for over two weeks.
Protesters have dubbed the victim “Abhaya,” meaning “fearless,” as they marched through Kolkata demanding justice. The Supreme Court’s three-judge bench described the crime as “horrific” and “shocking to the conscience of the nation.”
Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud announced the court’s order for a “national task force” composed of top doctors to develop a plan to prevent violence in healthcare facilities and establish an “enforceable national protocol” for safe working conditions. The court’s intervention comes in response to systemic issues affecting healthcare workers, citing inadequate safety measures such as the lack of CCTV cameras and security personnel, as well as insufficient screening of visitors for weapons.
The murdered doctor was found in a seminar hall of the teaching hospital where she had presumably gone for a break during a grueling 36-hour shift. An autopsy confirmed sexual assault, and her parents have alleged gang rape. The court emphasized that the nation cannot wait for such crimes to implement real changes. It also highlighted the harsh conditions faced by medical professionals, including long shifts with insufficient basic needs and violence following patient deaths.
In response to the violence, doctors have called for the enactment of the Central Protection Act to safeguard healthcare workers. Meanwhile, protests have expanded, with demonstrations also occurring in Mumbai over the alleged sexual assault of two young schoolgirls. The court’s order reflects a growing demand for reforms to ensure the safety and dignity of workers in the healthcare sector, against the backdrop of widespread sexual violence in India.
- #IndiaHealthcare,
- #MedicalSafety,
- #SupremeCourtOrder,
- #HealthcareViolence,
- #DoctorSafety,
- #Abhaya,
- #JusticeForDoctors,
- #NationalTaskForce,
- #SafeHealthcare,
- #EndViolence,
