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New Delhi, May 12, 2025: Despite repeated calls for stronger legal safeguards for healthcare professionals, the Government of India has made no significant progress on enacting a model law to protect doctors and healthcare workers from violence. This was revealed in a recent Right to Information (RTI) response, raising concerns among the medical fraternity and activists who have long demanded comprehensive legal protection.
The issue gained national attention following the 2023 rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, which led to the Supreme Court constituting a National Task Force (NTF) to examine the safety of healthcare workers. The NTF, comprising senior medical professionals and administrators, had recommended that the government prepare a draft model law for states and union territories to adopt, aiming to create a uniform framework for protecting healthcare professionals.
In September 2024, the Union Health Ministry established a sub-group under the NTF, led by the Director General Medical Services (Navy), to strengthen the legal framework across all states. However, according to the RTI reply received by Kerala-based health activist Dr. KV Babu, there has been no further communication or progress since the sub-group’s formation. The Ministry of Home Affairs stated it had no additional information and had not issued any communication to state home departments regarding the model law.
Dr. Babu, who has persistently pursued the matter through multiple RTI applications, expressed disappointment at the lack of clarity or action. He noted that although the Home Ministry acknowledged the proposal for a model state law, both the Home Ministry and the Ministry of Health appeared “clueless” about its current status.
The government’s stance is that existing laws, including the recently enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, are sufficient to address serious offences against healthcare professionals. The NTF has argued that state laws already provide for day-to-day protection, and that heinous crimes can be prosecuted under the BNS, making a separate central law unnecessary.
This position has been met with skepticism from the medical community. Many doctors and associations argue that state laws are inconsistently applied and often ineffective, leaving healthcare workers vulnerable to violence and intimidation in their workplaces. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and other groups continue to advocate for a central law to ensure uniform protection across the country.
The government previously considered a central bill-the Healthcare Services Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019-but decided against enacting it after internal consultations. Instead, the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2020, temporarily provided protections during the COVID-19 pandemic, but those measures have since lapsed.
With no further action on the proposed model law, the safety of healthcare professionals remains a pressing concern, especially as incidents of violence against doctors continue to be reported nationwide.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on information available as of May 12, 2025, primarily sourced from a recent RTI response and related news reports. The situation regarding legislative protections for healthcare professionals is subject to change as new developments arise. Readers are advised to consult official government notifications and legal documents for the most current information.
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