Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called an emergency meeting of top officials at the Government Secretariat on Thursday afternoon to weigh measures, including a potent new law, to guarantee the security of public-funded and private hospitals.
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The top-level conference comes barely a day after the workplace murder of young house surgeon Vandana Das at Kottakara government taluk hospital early Wednesday.
Also read | Murder highlights poor workplace safety for doctors yet again
Fear among medical professionals
The doctor’s death at the hands of an allegedly inebriated patient during a routine medical examination had unnerved the healthcare fraternity, triggered fears about the safety of medical professionals working late shifts and resulted in emotional protests and hospital work boycotts across the State.
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A press communique from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said the government would weigh passing a potent law to deter lawbreakers from targeting health professionals and vandalising hospitals.
Health Minister Veena George, Chief Secretary Dr. V. P. Joy, Additional Chief Secretary Home, V. Venu, Health and Law secretaries, Director of Medical Education, and State Police Chief Anil Kant will attend the meeting, among other officials.
Ms. George hinted on Wednesday that the government might request Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan to promulgate an ordinance affording higher and round-the-clock police protection for hospitals.
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Doctors’ organisations had demanded that the government give more teeth to the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2012, via a suitable amendment.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) leaders maintained that a fatal attack on doctors had been in the making for years, given the poorly policed and free-for-all environment in trauma care units, despite several entreaties to the government.
Police register statement
Meanwhile, the Kollam police registered the statement of Dr. Mohammad Shibu, who was on the night shift with Dr. Das.
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They also shifted the main suspect in the case, Sandip, an upper primary school teacher, to a high-security cell at the Central Prison, Poojappura.
Opposition slams police
Meanwhile, opposition leader V. D. Satheesan sought to punch holes in the police version that law enforcers saw no reason to handcuff the assailant, who a patrol team brought injured to the hospital after he called the control room for assistance.
Speaking to journalists in Kottayam, Mr. Satheesan termed the police version a “fictional script” to cover up the law enforcement’s criminal negligence and consequent failure to protect Dr. Das from the assailant’s attack.
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“The police arrested the assailant following a complaint by his neighbours. Local people summoned the police after the criminal went on the rampage in the neighbourhood. The Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) statement that the killer was the victim of an attack who called the control room for help is a barefaced lie,” Mr. Satheesan said.
Mr. Satheesan alleged that the police failed to handcuff the violent detainee. The five-member police patrol entrusted the person to a Home Guard and fled the scene at the first sign of violence, exposing the young doctor and her colleagues to the vicious knife attack.
Minister blamed
Mr. Satheesan accused Ms. George of “deepening the wound the attacker inflicted on Kerala’s soul” by “stating that the young house surgeon’s “inexperience and panic” had precipitated the attack.
He clarified that the Congress-led United Democratic Front was not seeking Ms. George’s resignation. “The people will judge the Minister’s actions,” he said.