Gurugram hospital gets show cause notice in flight attendant sexual assault case

Gurugram: The Haryana government has issued a notice to the Medanta Hospital here, seeking its reply on the alleged violation of human dignity and privacy after a flight attendant claimed she was sexually assaulted while on ventilator support at the facility.

The show cause notice to the medical director of the upscale hospital was issued by Gurugram Civil Surgeon Dr Alka Singh on the directions of Haryana Health and Family Welfare Minister Arti Singh Rao.

According to officials, the hospital has been directed to submit its reply within five working days.

A technician of Medanta Hospital has been arrested in connection with the sexual assault. The incident came to light after the 46-year-old flight attendant lodged a complaint on April 14.

The woman alleged that she was admitted to Medanta Hospital on April 5 for some treatment. The next day, a man carried out digital rape on her in the hospital ICU room, where two other nurses were also present who did nothing to stop him, she has claimed.

The show cause notice stated that according to the Charter of Patients' Rights and Responsibilities under Section 6 of the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, confidentiality, human dignity and privacy have to be observed during treatment.

Under Section 7 of the Act, the presence of a woman has to be ensured by the male doctor during the physical examination of a female patient, it said.

"In this case, both the clauses have been violated by the establishment Through the notice, it is directed that the Medanta Hospital submit its reply within five working days under Section 40 of the CEA Act (2010)," the notice read.