In a move the Maharashtra government wants to help people make their own choices about their medical treatment at the end of life. They have appointed people, called custodians in cities and towns to keep safe “living wills”. A living will is a document that says what treatment you want if you become very sick or can’t talk.
What does this decision mean?
- The government has decided that some officials, like commissioners and chief officers will be in charge of keeping living wills safe.
- Their job is to store and keep these documents secure.
This move follows orders from the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court. They said that there needs to be a system to make sure living wills are respected.
A digital platform for storing living wills
- The state has made an online system on the MahaULB portal.
- People can upload their living wills online make an appointment to verify them and get a copy that is authenticated.
You can also submit your living will in person.
- You can give notarised documents to the custodians. They will digitise and store them.
The government spent ₹6.49 lakh on this system.
- They will use the Urban Development Departments e- budget to keep it running.
Why are living wills
- A living will is a document that says what medical treatment you want if you become very sick or can’t talk.
- This is especially important if you have an illness or are unconscious.
Living wills became more important after the courts said that passive euthanasia is allowed in India.
- This means that people have the right to choose what happens to them if they are very sick.
Fixing past problems
- Maharashtra had custodians before but it was hard to make it work.
- There were problems with digitising making it accessible and spreading awareness.
This new move aims to make the system better.
- They want to make sure that living wills are kept safe and people can access them quickly if there is an emergency.
The impact
- This move is about making sure that patients have rights in the healthcare system.
- By making a system Maharashtra is trying to make sure that peoples choices are respected.
As people know about living wills they could become a key part of planning for healthcare, in India.
- This can help make sure that peoples legal rights are respected in life medical situations.
