New Delhi: In an RTI reply to Kerala based Dr. K V Babu the central government has once again reiterated that it would not be enacting separate legislation for prohibiting violence against doctors and healthcare professionals. Babu in an RTI had asked about the status of the draft legislation and also sought information on copies of all the communications between the Health and the Home Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) regarding the bill or amended bill between September 2, 2019, and August 17, 2024, and also ‘file noting’s.’
The Union Health Ministry in its reply to Babu said, “A draft– The Healthcare Services Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019 — was prepared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and circulated for consultations. After that, it was decided not to enact a separate legislation for prohibiting violence against doctors and other healthcare professionals.” The ministry also said the second and third information he sought was “exempted under the provisions of Section 8 (1) (a) of the RTI Act, 2005.”
Babu said this time, he had again filed the RTI as an IMA delegation had met Union Health Minister J P Nadda and other ministry officials to press for the central act and got a favourable response from the minister. “The RTI, however, clearly shows the government has no intention to bring the central law.”
