Challenges and remedies in delivering forensic pathology services – an Indian view point

Abstract

India is the second most populous country in the world boasting a population of about 1.13 billion at present and ready to take over the top-most position by year 2025 with the present rate of growth. The National Crime Records Bureau in a recent report found a 231% increase in the crime rate during the last 50 year period. If we talk about cases of homicides only in 2007–2008, around 32719 cases were recorded, which ranks highest in the world, the next being South Africa. According to a rough estimate, about one million unnatural deaths are reported in per year in India. As a result, numbers of medico-legal autopsies performed in India are the highest in the world. For tackling this enormous workload, about 90% of cases are dealt with by plain medical graduates, the quality of which remains debatable, and only 10% of cases are done by forensic experts. Although there is a worldwide shortage of trained forensic pathologists which is seriously hampering the delivery of forensic services, the situation in India has gone from bad to worse. Also there is a gross lack of infrastructure, absolute shortage of trained manpower and severe crunch of ancillary laboratory services. This poster discusses various aspects of medico-legal functioning in India and suggests the remedial measures which can be taken for overall improvement in delivery of forensic services.