Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday said that the state health department has issued a groundbreaking order to enforce the Supreme Court’s ruling on a patient’s right to die with dignity.
Also Read: The right to die with dignity
Taking to the social media post ‘X’, he stated that the department has also come out with an Advance Medical Directive (AMD), or a living will, in which a patient can record their wishes about their medical treatment in the future, as reported by PTI.
“My Karnataka Health Department, @DHFWKA, passes a historic order to implement the Supreme Court’s directive for a patients Right to Die with dignity,” he said.
Also Read: How will India accept passive euthanasia?
The minister stated that this will greatly benefit individuals who are terminally ill with no chance of recovery, those in a persistent vegetative state, or patients who no longer gain from life-sustaining treatments.
“We have also come out with an Advance Medical Directive (AMD), or a living will, in which a patient can record their wishes about their medical treatment in the future,” he said.
This important step, according to the minister, will bring great relief and a dignified sense of closure to many families and individuals, PTI reported.
“Karnataka is a progressive state, and we are always at the forefront in upholding liberal and equitable values for a more just society,” he added.
What is the “Right to die with dignity”? Euthanasia refers to the deliberate ending of a terminally ill patient’s life by a doctor to alleviate suffering. In India, “passive euthanasia” typically involves withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment. However, this term has caused confusion and public concern about the right to die with dignity.
Also Read: ‘Active Euthanasia illegal’: Govt draft rules cite conditions for withdrawal of life support in terminally-ill patients
On March 9th 20src8, a five-Judge Bench comprising Dipak Misra CJI, A K Sikri, A. M. Khanvilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan JJ held that the right to die with dignity is a fundamental right. “An individual’s right to execute advance medical directives is an assertion of the right to bodily integrity and self-determination and does not depend on any recognition or legislation by a State,” as quoted by Supreme Court Observer.
Karnataka is a progressive state, and we are always at the forefront in upholding liberal and equitable values for a more just society.
This decision empowers terminally ill patients to choose dignified end-of-life care through advance directives or living wills.
No responses yet