The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has written to Delhi Health Ministry recommending punitive action against two hospitals, including a government facility, for allegedly not adhering to Supreme Court's directive to admit acid attack victims.
The Commission has recommended punitive action against the hospitals including registration of FIR under Section 357 (assault or criminal force in attempt wrongfully to confine a person) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
"I would like to bring to your kind attention this particular case where two prominent hospitals of Delhi, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and Army Research and Referral Hospital refused treatment to an acid attack victim. Subsequent to the intervention of the DCW and the Nodal Officer for acid attack victims of the Health Department, Dr R N Das, the victim is now being treated properly in Apollo Hospital," said DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal in her letter to Health Minister Satyendar Jain.
Also Read
"However, it is clear that hospitals admit an acid attack victim only after considerable pressure is put on them. This case is a serious dereliction of orders of the Supreme Court. The inaction of the two hospitals, may have led to considerable worsening of the victim's condition and could have posed a direct threat to her life," she added.
"In light of this, I recommend you to immediately take punitive action against these hospitals," Maliwal said as she asked Jain to provide an intimation to the Commission on the action taken at the earliest.
DCW had earlier issued show cause notices to both the hospitals after receiving a complaint from the brother of the acid attack victim.
