High Court: Close hospitals if doctors not given security by govt.

The Kerala High Court criticized the state government for failing to protect health workers while on duty, following the killing of a 25-year-old woman doctor by a man in police custody at Kottarakkara taluk hospital. The court asked, “Why don’t the government shut down the hospitals if it can’t guarantee the safety of doctors?” The bench noted that Kerala has witnessed such strange incidents which no other state in the country had reported ever. The court questioned the security of doctors in government hospitals and pointed out police lapses in controlling the accused in their custody. The bench asked the state police chief to appear online before the court on Thursday to seek explanation. The Kerala chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) announced that the doctors will go on a massive state-wide strike to protest against the incident.

Last December, the High Court had directed authorities to register an FIR within an hour of any incident and had expressed concern over such incidents. The court had observed that the government should ensure security, and that every attack will have to be taken cognisance of by the Station House Officer of the police station concerned not later than one hour from the time on which it is reported to him.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George condemned the incident and said the government has a strong stand against attacks on health workers. The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) demanded strict action against perpetrators to prevent the recurrence of such ‘diabolical’ incidents and called for exemplary punishment of attackers so that it will act as a deterrent.

Dr Vandana Das was stabbed to death by a school teacher while he was being treated at the Kottarakkara taluk hospital. She was a house surgeon at the hospital. The court gave this directive while suo motu impleading the State police chief in a case related to the attacks against the doctors and healthcare professionals in the State hospitals. The matter will be taken up again at 10.15 am on Thursday.