Amid nationwide protests by medical professionals over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in West Bengal’s Kolkata, the Supreme Court on Tuesday constituted a National Task Force (NTF) for doctors.

The NTF has been tasked with developing comprehensive recommendations aimed at ensuring the safety, well-being, and dignified working conditions for medical professionals across the country.

During the suo-motu hearing of Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder case, Chief Justice of India (CJI), Justice DY Chandrachud emphasised the urgent need for a national consensus on these issues, underscoring the importance of consulting with all relevant stakeholders.

The CJI stated that the NTF’s role would be to address the broader concerns of medical professionals, including those highlighted in the court’s recent order.

The National Task Force comprises prominent figures in the medical field, including Surgeon Vice Admiral RK Sarian; Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Managing Director of the Asian Institute of National Gastroenterology; Dr M Srivas, Director of AIIMS, Delhi; Dr Prathima Moorthy of NIMHANS, Bangalore; Dr G D Puri, Executive Director of AIIMS, Jodhpur; Dr Sowmitra Rawat, a managing member of Gangaram Hospital, and Professor Anita Saxena, Vice-Chancellor of Pandit BD Sharma University of Health Sciences.

Besides them, the following will also be the ex-officio members of the NTF: the cabinet secretary to the GOI; the home secretary of GOI; secretary of ministry of family welfare.

The NTF is charged with formulating action plans focused on two critical areas. First, it will address the prevention of violence against medical professionals, with particular attention to gender-based violence.

Second, it will work on establishing a national protocol that guarantees dignified and safe working conditions for all levels of medical staff, including interns, residents, and senior doctors.

The Supreme Court also directed that the Chairperson of the National Medical Commission and the President of the National Board of Examiners will play key roles in guiding the task force’s work.