The Supreme Court has ruled that citizens’ right to trauma care forms an integral part of the right to life. It directed all states and Union territories to activate the single emergency helpline ‘112’ within three months and set up a working good samaritan grievance redressal system.
A Bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and A.S. Chandurkar also ordered states to submit regular compliance reports through monthly meetings and by posting minutes on official portals.
The order came on a petition by the Savelife Foundation seeking recognition of trauma care as a legal right under Indian public law.
The court noted that accident victims often experience shock and helplessness, relying on bystanders for urgent help. It stressed that every minute without medical care reduces survival chances, describing swift action as essential medicine.
The Bench called for a bottom-up trauma care system involving all stakeholders. It observed that bystanders often hesitate due to fears of legal issues or psychological stress.
To overcome these barriers, the court said systemic steps are needed, including a uniform trauma care framework, public awareness, standardised first aid training and strong good samaritan laws, as trauma care rights fall under Article 21.
The Centre was allowed to issue a medical rescue protocol within three months, with states and UTs required to implement it in the same timeframe.
All states and UTs must ensure AIS-125 compliance for ambulances, fit GPS tracking devices linked to helpline 112, and conduct regular audits with reports to a central authority.
The Health Ministry was asked to issue data format guidelines for a trauma registry within eight weeks. States must create their registries within four months and link them nationally.
The court further directed sustained multilingual media campaigns on helpline 112, good samaritan protections, grievance systems and the PM RAHAT cashless treatment scheme.
States yet to adopt the PM RAHAT scheme must operationalise it within three months. The matter was listed for review after four months.
