Kerala is expected to amend its hospital protection law following the recent incident where a woman house surgeon was murdered by an alleged drug addict she was attending to.
The Kerala cabinet is expected to float an ordinance amending the law when it meets on Wednesday, May 17, IANS reported. The proposed Hospital Protection Act has been a long-standing demand of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and in the wake of the murder of 22-year-old Vandana Das, it has gathered momentum.
Authorities, including the police, health and the state law departments are working hard to bring it before the weekly cabinet meeting.
Meanwhile, IMA State President Dr Sulphi Noohu said apart from the long overdue act, the need of the hour is that civil society should come out in the open and condemn the acts being conducted against medical professionals.
"Hospitals should be declared as high-security zones, similar to airports and railway stations. The proposed act should be strong in the fundamental areas and should not be a toothless one. Rules should be clear, similar to the West on the basic protocols to be followed when those patients who are likely to turn violent come before medical professionals. We are all waiting for the act," said Noohu.
How safe are doctors?
Recently on Monday night, May 15, a young patient Doyal who was brought with injuries, turned violent and slapped a duty doctor at the state-run medical college hospital at Kochi, Kalamassery, officials informed.
Doyal was irritated and turned violent while being treated and following his outburst, the local police arrived and took him into custody.
A similar incident was reported at the state-run general hospital when a patient turned violent and misbehaved with a doctor and was soon taken into custody, IANS stated.
Recent developments
On Tuesday, May 16, the women's wing of the Congress in Kerala began a day-long protest before the Secretariat demanding strong action against those who attack health professionals.
Moreover, Sandeep, the suspended school teacher who used a surgical knife and stabbed Dr Vandana Dsa to death, was brought to the local court at Kottarakara on Tuesday, May 16, as his custody period ended.
Police have sought an extension of his custody.
