On 1.04.2020 was a Media Bulletin, from State Control Room, Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
, Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, with Subject, Daily report on Public Health measures taken for COVID-19.
The above report was incomplete as it contained case numbers from 125 to 234 only, though without mention of Name or other personal details of the affected person. Link
The above report was incomplete as it contained case numbers from 125 to 234 only, though without mention of Name or other personal details of the affected person. Link
Following the above was a WhatsApp forwarded message, with an image of certain document, signed by certain responsible government officials with Names, Address, Contact Numbers of certain Covid affected persons.
There was also a news article about certain twins, born on March 27 at B.R. Ambedkar Memorial Hospital in Raipur, whom the parents, "named after the pandemic", as Corona and Covid. Link
The messages above bring us to consider if Medical Privacy and Confidentiality of Medical Information is something important at all and also of the awareness on the impact of any breach to such.
It would also be worth considering if there were sufficient conditions to deter leak of official and confidential information to any.
There are, in certain countries a ban on baby names, that could possibly hurt a kid in future, for being a slang, or being a target for bullying, teasing or mockery or of derision.
Reproduced below, is an extract, ad verbatim, a section on Medical Privacy as stated in INDIAN MEDICAL COUNCIL (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, amended upto 08 October 2016.
7.14 The registered medical practitioner shall not disclose the secrets of a patient that have been learnt in the exercise of his / her profession except –
i) in a court of law under orders of the Presiding Judge;
ii) in circumstances where there is a serious and identified risk to a specific person and / or community; and
iii) notifiable diseases.
In case of communicable / notifiable diseases, concerned public health authorities should be informed immediately.
7.14 The registered medical practitioner shall not disclose the secrets of a patient that have been learnt in the exercise of his / her profession except –
i) in a court of law under orders of the Presiding Judge;
ii) in circumstances where there is a serious and identified risk to a specific person and / or community; and
iii) notifiable diseases.
In case of communicable / notifiable diseases, concerned public health authorities should be informed immediately.
Long before, on May 31, 2018, Business Standard examined if India India was to be the first to protect health data of citizens with iron-clad law. Link
Before to this, in 2012, was a Draft on Medical Privacy, published by The Centre for Internet & Society. Link
In 2008, the Indian Journal for Medical Ethics has dealt on Privacy and the Right to Information Act, 2005 Link
The above would sure make into the debate rooms, in colleges and interviews, I suppose.
1 comment:
I suppose that medical information of individuals has to be confidential, however in the case of this pandemic, government by themselves are taking measures to quarantine the affected and theIr family. In certain cases, a primary diagnosis is conducted to ascertain the presence of infection or the absence of it; based on the symptoms exhibited. In such cases it is very important that only after confirming, the information should be published. Otherwise by proper means it should convey that the individual is devoid of the infection, in order to avoid anxiety and havoc in the society. Further, any information about the communicable disease and the person affected by it, should be published through a acknowledged channel and not by any other commercial means, even if the information is genuine.Or else, the private information sharing should provide authentic links to affirm their data. I feel this should be the method, so it is easy to track the trail, rather than cooking up data for publicity. And the one doing it should understand, that it is not a news of entertainment but it is caution that can create havoc, anxiety and disorder both for the public and the individual.
When it comes to case of naming babies, I very much feel that this bundle of joy should be taken as a precious gift and be nurtured as the same. Parenting, doesn't just start from giving birth, it even starts, way back when the couples decide to have one or when the pregnancy is diagnosed. Infact,a proper mental conception should be befone physical conception. May be due to the lack of this type of counselling during the courtship, has made few parents to treat children as a product from a manufacturing unit. It takes me by great surprise for medical /paramedical practioners to make a mockery by calling the children Carona and covid and to publish it as well. In a society where name becomes the significant identity of a person, why should we give it a name which makes people recall maladies while uttering and in addition making the children grow up with negativity and diffidence. Never sow seeds to produce weeds. The learned and mature, please try to be wise in thought, word, action and deed.
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