Supreme Court Directives on Trauma Care
The Supreme Court has emphasized the recognition of trauma care as a fundamental right under the Indian public law system, specifically under Article 21 of the Constitution, which ensures the right to life. This decision was made in response to a plea filed by the Savelife Foundation.
Key Directives
- The Court has mandated that all States and Union territories must operationalize the emergency helpline number 112 within three months for effective emergency responses.
- A functional good samaritan grievance redressal system must be established to protect and encourage bystanders to assist in emergencies.
- The Centre is permitted to issue a medical rescue protocol for trauma cases, which all states and UTs must implement within three months.
Trauma Care Framework
The Bench highlighted the necessity of a "bottom-up approach" in trauma care, emphasizing:
- Creation of a uniform framework for trauma care.
- Building public awareness and standardization of first aid skills.
- Proper implementation of good samaritan laws to remove barriers for bystanders.
Additional Measures
- All ambulances must meet the Automotive Industry Standard-125 (AIS-125) and be equipped with GPS/vehicle location tracking devices integrated with helpline 112.
- Periodic audits of ambulance services are necessary, focusing on response times, quality of care, and outcomes.
- The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare must issue guidelines for a trauma registry data format within eight weeks, with states establishing trauma registries within four months.
Awareness and Compliance
The Court directed sustained, multilingual mass-media campaigns to promote:
- Helpline 112 and good samaritan protections under Section 134A of the Motor Vehicles Act.
- The cashless treatment scheme (PM RAHAT), with all states and UTs required to operationalize it within three months.
The matter will be reviewed after four months to ensure compliance with these directives.
