Committee for medico-legal manual yet to meet
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Oct 16: The Medico-Legal Examination and Postmortem Report System (MedLeaPR) is set to be rolled out in hospitals across J&K following the completion of master training by the end of this month and the subsequent formulation of the Medico-Legal Manual for J&K.
Officials told Excelsior that most prerequisites have been fulfilled, and with the training of master trainers from all districts scheduled for completion this month, the system-designed to ensure error-free and efficient reporting-will soon be implemented.
“The training for master trainers from all districts will take place on October 21, 22, and 23 for those from the Jammu division at Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu, and on October 24, 25, and 26 for those from the Kashmir division at GMC Srinagar,” said Dr. Azia Manzoor Bhat, Nodal Officer and Assistant Professor in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at GMC Anantnag.
Each district in J&K has nominated five doctors for MedLeaPR training, resulting in a total of 100 doctors being trained to implement the system at their respective hospitals.
Once trained, these doctors will, in turn, train others in their districts as needed, officials said. The trainers include Dr. Aiza and a resource person from NIC Haryana.
During the sessions in both Jammu and Srinagar, attending doctors will receive training on both MedLeaPR and forensic medicine, equipping them with the skills required to operate the software.
“The training is a major component that must be completed before the system’s rollout. Additionally, a committee has been formed to draft the Medico-Legal Manual for J&K. Once both are ready, the system will be launched in hospitals across the Union Territory,” Dr. Azia added.
While the registration process and other formalities for MedLeaPR began in June this year, the Government formed a 10-member committee in September to prepare a Medico-Legal Manual for J&K, which will support the functioning of the digital reporting system in the Union Territory.
The committee, chaired by the Principal of GMC Anantnag, includes members from various departments, including police, law and forensic experts. Its task is to submit the report within a month.
Although the committee has not yet convened its meeting, Excelsior has learned that the Home Department has yet to nominate its representatives for the committee. Officials noted that once the nominations are made, the process will begin accordingly.
The manual will include protocols for Medico-Legal and Postmortem Examinations, outlining the roles of stakeholders such as the police, Health Departments, and prosecution. It will also provide guidelines on examination procedures, sample collection and preservation.
Officials also said the committee will meet soon to begin drafting the manual. “Together, the manual-which will provide guidelines to doctors handling medico-legal examinations and postmortems-along with the training, will lead to the system’s rollout,” they added.
It is important to note that MedLeaPR is innovative software developed by NIC to facilitate the digitalization of Medico-Legal Reports (MLRs) and Postmortem Reports (PMRs). It provides secure access based on the roles and responsibilities of the involved doctors and health institutions.
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