An emergency meeting has been called by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to address the safety of medical practitioners in Kerala. The meeting comes after doctors intensified their protest against the killing of Dr Vandana Das. The 25-year-old doctor was stabbed to death by a patient at the Kottarakara taluk hospital. Majority of doctors have not reported to work for the last 24 hours and demanded new legislation for the protection of hospitals.
The meeting will discuss various issues, including the formation of new legislation to prevent attacks on doctors while on duty. Attendees will include Health Minister Veena George, Chief Secretary V P Joy, health, law, and medical education secretaries, state police chief, ADGPs, and department heads. The decision to convene the meeting was made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after his discussions with various doctors’ associations.
“We requested the government to immediately bring out a new legislation for the protection of hospitals. We also wanted hospitals to be declared as special protection zones,” Indian Medical Association (IMA), State President Dr Sulphi N said. The IMA also called for the new legislation to be named after Dr Vandana Das. The ongoing agitation will continue until authorities address their demands.
Earlier in the day, the Kerala High Court directed the State Police Chief to come out with a new set of protocols for ensuring the security of doctors and other healthcare professionals in all government hospitals in the state. Meanwhile, hundreds of people paid their last respects to Dr Vandana Das at her residence in Muttuchira, Kottayam.
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