Sarma: Hard taskmaster

Guwahati, July 27: The code of ethics for doctors will become a law in Assam, enabling patients to claim damages from medical practitioners even for absenteeism.

The announcement came on a day when the axe fell on five more government doctors for dereliction of duty. All five were found absent when a magistrate conducted a surprise check on 16 dispensaries and public health centres in Kamrup district yesterday.

The five doctors placed under suspension are Dr J. Kalita of Garigaon State Dispensary, Dr Gita Bordoloi of Udalbakra mini public health centre, Dr Bina Deka of Khanapara State Dispensary, Dr S. Jesmine of Capital State Dispensary and Dr J. Goswami of Natboma State Dispensary.

Health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, whose activism has kept healthcare staff across the state on tenterhooks, said a legislation encapsulating the code of ethics would empower patients like never before. The draft of the law is under preparation.

Sarma said blatant disregard for the code of ethics prescribed by the Medical Council of India had left the government with no option but to turn it into a law.

“Once the law is enforced, a patient will be at liberty to drag a doctor to a consumer court for refusing to attend to him or file a suit for damages if a doctor is found absent when he/she should be on duty.”

The proposed legislation will be binding on private practitioners, too.

A campaign to raise awareness about the code of ethics was launched recently as part of the National Rural Health Mission.

The minister said the campaign was a prelude to introducing the legislation.

The proposed law will forbid a doctor from displaying an “unusually large signboard” in front of a clinic and write on it anything other than his/her name and qualification, the minister said.

The idea is to prevent medical practitioners from “luring” patients.

“A physician advising a patient to seek the service of another physician is acceptable. However, in case of an emergency, a physician must treat the patient who comes to him/her.

No physician shall arbitrarily refuse treatment to a patient,” the code of ethics states.

It also says that the financial interest of a physician should not be in conflict with the medical requirements of a patient. A medical practitioner must inform his/her patient of the fee for treatment before conducting surgery or any other procedure.