New Delhi: Doctors to face action for failure to respond in emergencies, says government

New Delhi: Failure to respond on the part of doctors in emergencies like road accidents is to be treated as "professional misconduct" and will invite disciplinary action under Union Health Ministry guidelines, Lok Sabha was today told.

"In pursuance of a Supreme Court judgement, the ministry has issued guidelines in August 2015 to all states and UTs on 'Good Samaritans' in which it has been mentioned that lack of response by a doctor in an emergency situation pertaining to road accidents... shall constitute professional misconduct under Chapter 7 of the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulation, 2002.

"Disciplinary action shall be taken against such doctors under Chapter 8 of the said regulations. It is the responsibility of the state governments and UTs to take action against the said hospitals," Union Health Minister JP Nadda said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

He said that since health is a state subject, it is the responsibility of the state governments to issue guidelines for the provision of proper facilities during emergencies to seriously ill persons and accident victims.

State governments are also mandated to take action against the hospitals that refuse to provide treatment to seriously ill persons or accident victims.

He said that as far as the three central government hospitals, namely Safdarjung Hospital, RML Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College are concerned, they have adequate number of ventilator-beds.