Good Samaritan Bill to ensure speedy medical aid for accident victims

The fear of getting embroiled in a police investigation and being subjected to the rigours of legal procedure often deters bystanders from getting involved in the rescue of road accident victims. To remove this fear, the State Cabinet on Wednesday decided to bring in the Karnataka Good Samaritan and Medical Professional (Protection and Regulation during emergency situations) Bill to ensure speedy medical aid for accident victims and encourage people to offer first aid to such victims without the fear of legal wrangles.

The Bill was part of an effort to encourage people to offer assistance without the fear of any criminal or civil liability. In the absence of national legislation on the subject, in October 2014 the Supreme Court directed the Union government to frame guidelines for the protection of ‘Good Samaritans’, or helpful bystanders, and a Standard Operating Procedure to make them work.

Briefing presspersons on the Cabinet decisions, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra said the bill would have provision for reimbursing the expenses incurred by the Good Samaritan in the process of rendering help for the accident victim, including the cab fare for carrying the victim to hospital.

A sum of Rs. 5 crore has been set aside for the purpose. The provisions would also ensure that the Good Samaritans are not repeatedly summoned to attend court proceedings and other legal obligations related to the accident, Mr. Jayachandra said.

It would be mandatory for private/government hospitals to provide medical aid for the victims without waiting for any procedure, Mr. Jayachandra said.

Organ Transplant Institute

The Cabinet has cleared a proposal for setting up an Institute of Organ Transplant on the premises of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, Bengaluru. The institute, to be set-up with private participation, would have 200-bed capacity and the State government has provided Rs. 76 crore for the project.

The institute would render organ transplant service for the poor free of cost or for a nominal fee, which would include liver transplantation at a cost of a maximum of Rs. 4 lakh, which costs nearly Rs. 25 lakh in private hospitals.