Friday’s order dealt with Ms. Laxmi’s final demand for getting victims proper treatment, aftercare and rehabilitation.
In an order likely to have far-reaching effects, the Supreme Court ruled
on Friday that private hospitals could neither “turn away” victims of
acid attack nor wash their hands of after providing first aid.
The court made it mandatory for these hospitals across the country to
provide full and free medical treatment to the victims. The order said
the term “treatment” included reconstructive surgery, free medicines,
bed, rehabilitation and aftercare.
The order came on a public interest litigation petition filed by Laxmi,
an acid attack victim, following nine years of fighting for the rights
of victims.
Ms. Laxmi was only 15 when three men, one of whom she had refused to
marry, threw acid on her near Tughlaq Road in New Delhi. She has been
fighting a lonely battle since 2006 in the Supreme Court, and in the
process, succeeded in getting the Indian Penal Code amended to make acid
attack a special offence. She further persuaded the court to increase
the compensation for victims to Rs. 3 lakh, besides procuring a complete
ban on over-the-counter sale of acid.
Friday’s order dealt with Ms. Laxmi’s final demand for getting victims proper treatment, aftercare and rehabilitation.
In its order, the Social Justice Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and
U.U. Lalit directed that “all States should take up with private
hospitals and ensure that they do not deny treatment to acid attack
victims. We see there is a reluctance on the part of some private
hospitals to provide free treatment.”
The court clarified that “free treatment would mean not only free
medical treatment but also availability of medicines, food and
reconstructive surgery.”
The court directed the State governments to take action against the hospitals turning away victims.
The Bench was interpreting Section 357C of the Criminal Procedure Code,
inserted in Feb. 2013, to deal with the issue of cost of treatment of
acid-attack victims.
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/give-free-treatment-to-acid-attack-victims-sc-to-private-hospital/article7090063.ece
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