Kerala cabinet approves Hospital Protection Ordinance
Kollam : Dr Vandana Das, a 23-year-old doctor was stabbed to death at a government taluk hospital in Kerala’s Kollam district by Sandeep, a suspended school teacher who was brought there by police after being involved in a scuffle with his family members. According to an officer of Kottarakkara police, while a wound on the leg of the man was being dressed by Dr Das, Sandeep suddenly got provoked and attacked everyone standing there using a scissor and scalpel. The major brunt of the attack was borne by the young doctor, and even though she was rushed to a private hospital, she succumbed to her injuries. The police personnel accompanying the man were also injured to varied degrees.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) doctors protested across the state against the gruesome incident. KGMOA in a statement said that all services except emergency treatment will be suspended today in Kollam district. It sought exemplary punishment for those responsible for the incident and demanded that stringent measures be put in place to prevent recurrence of such incidents. KGMOA has also urged the government to strengthen security in hospitals, ensure due precautions are taken when bringing accused in custody for medical examination and urgently implement a triage system.
A special bench of Justices Devan Ramachandran and Kauser Edappagath of the Kerala High Court slammed the state government and the police over the killing of the young doctor at the taluk hospital in Kottarakkara area of Kollam district and said that the incident indicates the government and police’s failure to protect the doctor. The court said the incident has created a “fear psychosis” among the doctors, medical students and their parents.
The Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the death of the doctor stating that the incident was “extremely painful” and “shocking” and that a thorough investigation will be conducted in the matter.
In a statement, Vijayan said, “Assaulting health workers in the line of duty is unacceptable. A thorough investigation will be conducted into the incident. The government will take strong action against attacks on doctors and health workers.”
The incident, however, has kicked off a political row in Kerala after Health Minister Veena George said the victim was a house surgeon and therefore, inexperienced and got scared. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President K Sudhakaran reacted to the comments and questioned what George meant in her statement. “Does she mean the doctor was inexperienced to counter or defend against an attack by a man addicted to drugs and alcohol? The statement is a joke,” he told reporters. Sudhakaran further condoled the death of the doctor saying it was sad and unfortunate that an incident like this happened.
Leader of Opposition in the state and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan has said the doctor’s murder has shaken the entire society in Kerala.
Meanwhile, the Kerala State Human Rights Commission, based on media reports of the incident, has suo-moto initiated a case and sought a report within seven days from the District Police Chief of Kollam.
Hospital Protection Ordinance Approved by Kerala Government
- Ordinance to amend the Kerala Healthcare Service Person and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of violence and damage to property) Act 2012 approved in cabinet meeting
- Jail term of 6 months to 7 years for attacking healthcare workers
- Compensation up to six times the market value of the equipment’s and infrastructure damaged
- The ordinance also brings insults and abuses to healthcare workers within the ambit of
ordinance
- Medical & nursing students along with medical teaching centers included within the purview
of the ordinance