Delhi High Court takes suo-moto cognizance of attacks on doctors, calls it alarming

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday ordered the Centre and the Delhi Government to inform the court about the measures being taken to prevent attacks on government doctors by patients and their family members..The Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra passed the order after taking suo motu cognizance of a newspaper report which stated that doctors in public hospitals were being subjected to extreme violence..The newspaper also reported that one in two doctors in public hospitals face violence which is not only verbal but physical and that AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association has decided to train its doctors in taekwondo to protect themselves. The Bench said that violence from either side cannot be allowed..The Bench also stated that the doctors in public hospitals are grossly overworked and that they have to take life saving decisions in the most difficult working conditions. The Court issued notices to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Central and Delhi Governments and the Indian Medical Association and sought a status report regarding the security provided at public hospitals. The report has to be submitted within ten days..The Court also sought details regarding the capacity of these public hospitals, the number of doctors and the number of patients per day. Further, the Court appointed Senior Advocate Maninder Acharya and advocate Siddharth Aggarwal as Amicus Curiae..The matter is listed for further hearing on May 19..In March this year, doctors in Maharashtra had gone on a strike against increasing attacks on doctors. AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association had also joined that protest by wearing helmets at work.