PANAJI
Goa on Friday became the first in India to adopt the advanced medical directive (living will) regime in sync with standards set by the Supreme Court of India.
Justice Mahesh Sonak of the Bombay High Court did the honour of releasing the 'Advanced Medical Directive' ('Living Will') booklet on Friday, and he also became the first Goan to make a 'living will'.
Apart from Sonak, Dr Sandesh Chodankar and Dinesh Shetty of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Goa branch also signed the 'living will' documents.
In situations where patients with diseases such as cancer, dementia or even severe heart disease are in the final stages, they are unable to make decisions themselves. In such situations, a living will helps doctors to decide the next course and when to take the patient off the ventilator and halt treatment.
By a 'living will' made through a legal document, the patient permits the doctor to make decisions on behalf of the patient in the final stages of a terminal disease.
The Supreme Court of India has directed that such a regime be implemented across the country. Now in Goa, anyone can execute a 'Living Will' and the 'Advanced Medical Instructions' booklet released by Justice Sonak gives the finer medico-legal contours of this regime.
