Hospitals Face Strict Action If They Deny Treatment to Rape Survivors
Hospitals and doctors will face strict action, if they deny treatment to sexual assault victims.
The Maharashtra state government issued new rules to hospitals and doctors. Doctors and hospitals who refuse treatment to rape, acid attack victims and minors who have suffered sexual assault, can now face strict action.
According to the rules, if a private, government, local or state run hospital does not treat such patients, they can be sent to jail. The hospital or doctor has to treat the patient immediately and prepare a medical report without delay. A police case can be registered against such hospitals. They can be fined or sent to jail for a year or both.
The doctors or hospitals have to send the medical samples of the victims within 96 hours of the attack. The state government has said that the hospitals have to set up a panel of doctors to examine the female patients who have suffered sexual attacks, acid attacks or female patients who are mentally disturbed.
A health activist said that such rules were issued in 2013 also, but none of the hospitals or doctors followed them.
