Awaiting ordinance to amend Hospital Safety Act after doctor’s murder in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (IANS) | The Kerala cabinet meeting on Wednesday is expected to bring an ordinance to amend the Hospital Safety Act. The lady surgeon was murdered by an alleged drug addict whom she was treating. The proposed Hospital Safety Act has been a long-standing demand of the Indian Medical Association and has gathered momentum after the murder of 22-year-old doctor Vandana Das.
Officials including police, health and state law departments are working hard to bring it before the weekly cabinet meeting.
Despite these activities continuing, at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kochi at Kalamassery, a patient brought in an injured condition turned violent on Monday night and slapped a doctor, according to hospital officials.
On receiving information about the incident, the local police reached the spot and took them into custody.
A similar incident was reported at the Government General Hospital, when a patient turned violent and misbehaved with a doctor and was taken into custody.
Meanwhile, IMA State President Dr. Salfi Nohu said that it is a long time demand that the civil society should come out in open and condemn the acts being perpetrated against the medical professionals.
Nuhu said, hospitals should be declared high security zones on par with airports and railway stations. The proposed Act should be strong and stringent in the fundamental areas. The rules should be clear, the basic protocols should be the same as in the West.
The women’s wing of the Congress in the state on Tuesday began a day-long protest in front of the secretariat, demanding strict action against those who attacked health professionals.
Suspended school teacher Sandeep, who used a surgical knife and hacked Vandana to death, was brought to the local court in Kottarakara on Tuesday as his custody period ended.
The police have sought extension of his custody.
–IANS
