Bengal govt finalises SOPs to make medical reports in cases of sexual assault concise

Kolkata, June 7 (IANS) After detailed discussions with experts which began in January 2023, the West Bengal government on Friday came out with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for making medical reports in cases of rape and other sexual offenses, more concise.The medical examination report is considered the most crucial scientific evidence in sexual assault cases.The state health department has issued a notification directing all state-run hospitals to follow the new two-page format of medical reports which is more concise and to-the-point compared to the previous long format that could range from 16 to 30 pages.According to sources, the concise format has been drafted in such a way that there is no scope for ambiguity and omission of crucial points that are instrumental in carrying out investigation in cases under different sexual offenses Acts, the most important among which is the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).“Preparing detailed medical reports in the previous format took a long time and delayed the handing over of the report to the Investigating Officer, particularly in the case of rape or other sexual offenses. This delayed the entire investigation process.“In the new format, preparation of the report will be expedited to a great extent,” pointed out the state health department official.He added that the new format will also save the time of already overburdened doctors in state-run hospitals.It is learnt that the proposal to make the medical report in case of rape and sexual offenses more concise and to the point was first mooted at a state-level stakeholders’ seminar on status of implementation of POCSO Act, 2012 in November 2022.After the draft report was prepared last year, the state health department formed a three-member committee to finalise the new format.Now the new format has been circulated among state government officials.–IANSsrc/rad