‘Need for law on right to emergency medical care’

New Delhi: India needs to formulate a national law on the right to emergency medical care according to a report.

The report titled ‘Global Comparative Research on Right to Emergency Medical Care’ pointed out that India lacks a unified federal legislation on emergency care.

While the courts have provided an expansive interpretation to the fundamental Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution, there are no binding guidelines on emergency healthcare, except protection of Good Samaritans who help an accident victim within the golden hours, the report, commissioned by SaveLIFE Foundation, said.

The report suggested that such a right can be enshrined by way of an amendment to the Indian Constitution.