The Centre has suggested private hospitals to provide free medical treatment to rape victims as a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Presently, despite law, most of the private hospitals deny treatment to such rape survivors claiming these to be police cases. As a result, victims have to be taken to a Government hospital even if it is far away from the spot of the incident. This leads to delay in treatment.  Health being a State subject, the Centre cannot do much against erring hospitals. Union Health Secretary lov Verma has now written to the State Governments to suggest private hospitals to provide free aid to the rape victims under the CSR so as to treat such cases as per the recently framed national guidelines for sensitively handling the victims of crimes.

“Through these guidelines, we aim to bring about a certain degree of uniformity in approaching, treating and documenting cases of sexual violence, especially rape.The purpose is to set up a more sensitive and humane approach to such victims when they arrive at the hospitals, their effective treatment and recording and documentation of medical history and facts by the doctors.”

“The guidelines are an effort to ensure that the Government and private hospitals work in concert to treat such victims. This would also ensure successful conviction of the accused as it would ensure immediate treatment,” said Verma.He also reminded the States that erring hospitals need to be taken to task. “Under the amended criminal law, sexual abuse survivors and victim cannot be denied treatment in a hospital —whether private or Government; it is thus a mandatory obligation. If not fulfilled, it could set the law in motion against the offending hospitals and doctors with likely penal consequences. The matter, thus, warrants attention,” he said.