Kerala: After doctor's murder, Ordinance amending hospital protection law awaited

Thiruvananthapuram, May 16 (IANS) The Kerala cabinet is expected to float an ordinance amending hospital protection law when it meets on Wednesday, days after a woman house surgeon was murdered by an alleged drug addict she was attending to.

The proposed Hospital Protection Act has been a long standing demand of the Indian Medical Association 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.

Even as these activities are on, at the state-run Medical College hospital at Kochi, Kalamassery, a young patient Doyal who was brought with injuries, on Monday night turned violent and according to officials at the hospital, slapped a duty doctor.

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.

Meanwhile, IMA state president Dr Sulphi Noohu said apart from the long overdue Act, the need of the hour is that the civil society should come out in the open and condemn the acts being conducted against the 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.

On Tuesday, the women's wing of the Congress in the state began a day-long protest before the Secretariat demanding strong action against those who attack health professionals.

In a related development, Sandeep, the suspended school teacher who used a surgical knife and stabbed Vandana to death, was on Tuesday brought to the local court at Kottarakara as his custody period ended.

Police have sought extension of his custody.