New Delhi : The Supreme Court, while commencing its hearing on the Kolkata doctor rape-murder case on Thursday, said that health professionals must return to work and that once they resume their duties, the court will prevail upon authorities to not take adverse action against them.
"Let the health professionals return to work and once they return to duties the court will prevail upon authorities to not take adverse action. How would the public health infrastructure function if doctors did not return to work," the court said.
The SC resumed its hearing into the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal's Kolkata on Thursday.
Chief Justice of India (CJ) DY Chandrachud also shared a personal story and said that he had once slept on the floor of a public hospital while one of his relatives was admitted and unwell.
Earlier, the apex court constituted a 10-member National Task Force to make recommendations on the prevention of violence and safe working conditions for medical professionals. The task force includes Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, among others.
The development comes days after the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata sparked nationwide protests, the apex court suo motu took up the case and directed the task force to submit an interim report within three weeks and a final report within two months.
The top court also asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a status report on the status of the investigation in the rape case. Also, the court asked the West Bengal government to file a status report on the mob attack incident that took place at the RG Kar hospital on August 15.
Meanwhile, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi on Wednesday requested resident doctors of the institute to resume their duties immediately so that patient care services are normalized.
According to a release from the Office of the Director, AIIMS, "The undersigned along with the entire AIIMS family stands behind the cause of the safety of all healthcare professionals at AIIMS New Delhi & across the Country. However, as doctors, our supreme duty is also to ensure that the patients visiting our portals do not go unattended."