Srinagar: The J&K High court disposed litigation on medical corruption with a direction to the government to provide wide publicity to Indian Medical Council rules, which guides professional conduct and ethics of medical fraternity.
The court of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur asked the authorities that the violations must be dealt with stringently and the general public must be made aware of the action taken in case of defaulters. This, they said, is to ensure that a message is send out to that the laws are not meant to be eroded but to be followed only.
“Although the proceedings of the PIL are closed, but the court would continue to keep an eye on the effective implementation of the laws on the subject and the authorities would be required to send a report on monthly basis to the Registry of this Court, about the steps taken in the matter detailing out the complaints addressed to it by the public, the action taken pursuant to such complaints,” the court said. ‘
It directed that the registry should maintain an index on the matter.
It was recorded that the concern of the court is to see that the hardships faced by the general public on account of medical malpractices is taken care of effectively and a stringent course is provided for dealing with any unethical, and unprofessional omissions or commissions of the medical fraternity.
Earlier, Amicus in the matter Altaf Haqani has raised issue of spurious and substandard drugs sold in the markets to which the counsel, Shah Aamir had filed an affidavit highlighting in detail the action taken in respect of the companies whose drugs were found, on analysis, to be sub-standard besides indicating the steps taken for ensuring that only standard drugs are procured for the government hospitals.
The PIL finds its origin in the open letter G. S. Grewal, President of Punjab Medical Council addressed to the Prime Minister daily The Hindu and an article by Fida Iqbal in Greater Kashmir in 2016.

NUSRAT SIDIQ