Rajasthan HC: Docs responsible, compensate strike victims

Joychen Joseph | TNN | Nov 17, 2017, 08:35 IST



 JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday asked the state government how it plans to compensate the families of 30 dead patients and the general public who suffered during the recent statewide agitation by in-service doctors. The court also asked the government to make doctors accountable for the strike, which led to a huge medical and healthcare crisis in the state.

The single bench of Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma's direction followed a petition by Dr Kusum Sanghi, whose application seeking voluntary retirement from service was rejected by the health department on the grounds that the general public requires medical care.

Dr Kusum is currently working as additional director in the medical and health department.

The court noted that the strike by medical officers had resulted in the death of 30 people, according to the admission by medical and health minister Kalicharan Saraf himself.

At a recent meeting in Sikar, the minister had put the blame of 30 deaths on the doctors' strike, though he officially denied any deaths. The strike was called off after certain demands relating to pay and allowances were accepted by the state.

However, the court asked who will compensate the public, who were at the receiving end due to the strike, and the families of the dead for the absence of medical facilities. "Redress the grievance of the general public as death of 30 persons need to the compensated and compensation must be granted by the state by putting accountability on the doctors," the court said.

The court directed advocate general Narpatmal Lodha, "to submit an affidavit on the behalf of the state as to how they propose to grant compensation to unattended patients who suffered during the strike period by putting accountability on the doctors".