The Orissa High Court has directed the state’s health department to ensure that all doctors write medical prescriptions, post-mortem reports and medico-legal documents in clear and legible handwriting or capital letters. The directive was issued by Justice SK Panigrahi to the Chief Secretary of Odisha government, asking for the same to be circulated to all medical centres, private clinics, and medical colleges for better clarity and enhanced accessibility for both the judiciary and the public.
The court issued the order after hearing a petition filed by Rasananda Bhoi of Hindol in Denkanal district, following the death of his elder son, Souvagya Ranjan Bhoi, due to snakebite. The directive emphasises that clear handwriting should be followed while writing prescriptions so that there is clarity in the names of medicines.
“In many cases, the casual approach of most of the doctors while writing the post-mortem report is affecting the comprehension medico-legal documents badly and the judicial system finds it very difficult to read those letters and come to a definite conclusion,” the High Court stated.
The court stated that doctors now write in a “zig-zag” style, which makes it challenging for the general public and the legal system to read those documents.
In 2020, the Orissa High Court issued an order that was comparable. The judge said at the time that a medical prescription shouldn’t be open to interpretation or room for doubt. After the judge found it challenging to interpret a prescription provided by a prisoner requesting temporary bail for a month in order to care for his sick wife, it was granted.
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