1993-2018 ,u ,p vkj lh % iPphl o’kZ&vla[; vk’kk,a Nhrc : Twenty Five Years-billion Hopes standard proforma for 3 years from the commencement of treatment. The records that are the subject of medico-legal cases should be maintained until the inal disposal of the case even though only a complaint or notice is received. If any request is made for medical records either by the patients / authorised attendant or legal authorities involved, the same may be duly acknowledged and documents shall be issued within the period of 72 hours. It is advisable for prison to duly keep all the treatment record while maintaining the chronology so that they can be reproduced whenever they are required for forensic investigation by the NHRC. 12. What are the hurdles in investigation of violation of health rights? 1. Excessive workload due to inadequacy of manpower and long working hours in medical investigation division. 2. Lack of coordination with state authorities like delay in sending clinical record and repeatedly sending the already existing clinical record there by unnecessarily fattening the investigation iles 3. Clinical record may be illegible (faded print/hand writing not readable) or non-maintenance of crucial clinical record. 4. Non-availability of trained investigating police personnel due to lack of specialised training and knowledge gap in understanding of medical terminologies leading to non-suspicion of inadequacy of patient care or framing of non-relevant queries for expert opinion. 5. Conduction of hasty autopsy or non-compliance with NHRC guidelines for conducting autopsy. 13. What are the commonly encountered diagnostic dif iculties faced by doctor in prison? 1. Malingering- pretending to be sick for seeking attention, avoid work or due to other hidden motive. 2. Non-reporting of sickness: may be due to administrative hurdles or to avoid transfer on medical ground to a particular prison. 3. Mental illness: if the prisoner is suffering from undiagnosed psychological disturbances or if not aware of the illness (loss of insight) 4. Non recognition of the alarming signs and symptoms of disease due to lack of health awareness 5. Taking the suffering lightly by the patient due to his own attitude. 6. Privacy issues like in diseases associated with urinary/genital FORENSIC INVESTIGATION | 9

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