Orissa: Deciphering the script of another individual has always posed a challenge, a situation the Orissa High Court recently faced when examining a post-mortem report regarding a snakebite victim.
In the case of Rasa @ Rasananda Bhoi v. State of Odisha & Ors, the Orissa High Court issued explicit directives to the Chief Secretary of the Government of Odisha. The court instructed the Chief Secretary to ensure that all doctors across the state write medical prescriptions, post-mortem reports, and other medico-legal documents in either capital letters or easily readable handwriting.
The medical community often faces criticism for its illegible handwriting, essential when crucial information is at stake. Justice Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi of the Orissa High Court emphasised,
“This Court directs the Chief Secretary, State of Odisha, to issue direction to all the State doctors to write the post-mortem report and prescription in capital letters or legible handwriting.”
The Justice also pointed out the concerning trend among many state doctors who adopt a style of handwriting that renders the content unreadable by everyday individuals or judicial officers. Furthermore, Justice Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi mandated the Chief Secretary to issue a circular to medical facilities, private clinics, medical colleges, and hospitals, emphasising the necessity of ensuring that medical prescriptions and medico-legal reports are presented in clear handwriting or typewritten format.
Rasananda Bhoi, seeking direction from the state and ex-gratia compensation after losing his son to a snakebite, filed a writ petition. However, the court struggled to comprehend the post-mortem report due to its illegibility, highlighting the adverse impact of doctors’ casual approach on understanding medico-legal documents.
Nevertheless, while acknowledging the demanding schedules of doctors, the Orissa High Court expressed appreciation for their relentless service to the public during the pandemic and other medical crises. Nonetheless, the court underscored the importance of ensuring legibility in legal medical documents.