Under attack from opposition parties and medical professionals over the heinous killing of a young doctor two days ago, the Kerala government on Friday set up a panel to address the fraternity’s long-pending demands, including setting up a panel to address their concerns. and announced measures.
Dr. Vandana Das, a native of Kaduthuruthy area of Kottayam district and the only child of her parents, was working at a taluk hospital in Kollam district when she was stabbed multiple times. Later he died. Following the attack on him, street protests by health professionals, medical interns, students and house surgeons broke out in various hospitals across the state.
Health Minister Veena George said the proposed committee, headed by the medical education secretary, would study various issues raised by postgraduate students and house surgeons and submit a report within a month.
A standard operating procedure (SOP) will soon be issued for those who go to work in other hospitals as part of their medical residency programme. The deceased Dr Das was employed as house surgeon at Azizia Medical College Hospital but was working at Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital as part of her training.
The issues being faced by house surgeons will also be looked into by the panel, which will take steps to modernize the residency manual, Minister George said in a statement here. The manual lays down the working pattern, duties and other rules and guidelines for the residents and medical officers.
The minister also directed the concerned department heads to ensure adequate leave for the medical students. The instructions were given to the officers during a meeting chaired by the minister with representatives of various associations of PG students and home surgeons, the statement said.
Urging the doctors to call off their agitation, he said that the government stands firmly with the healthcare fraternity. “Health workers should not be attacked now. Strict action will be taken. Public address system will be implemented in medical colleges.
Security audit should be implemented in all hospitals in the state in a time-bound manner, he said, adding that police posts would be set up at medical facilities.
Hospitals will also be equipped with CCTV surveillance systems, the minister said, adding that the number of people accompanying patients will be limited to one and two arrivals and casualties, respectively.
Apart from the Secretary Medical Education, various other high officials including principals and superintendents of medical colleges also participated in the meeting.
On Tuesday, the state government decided to bring an ordinance to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals in hospitals. The CMO said that an ordinance to amend the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2012 would be tabled in the next cabinet meeting.
The decision was taken in the wake of intensifying protests demanding justice for Dr Das, who was stabbed to death by the police in the early hours of Wednesday by a man who was brought to a government hospital for dressing his wound.
Meanwhile, Dr Das’s colleagues on Friday criticized the government and the police over law enforcers failing to take adequate precautionary measures at the hospital, which resulted in his death. He told reporters here that if the hospital where the doctor was attacked had adequate facilities, his life could have been saved.
So, it was a failure of the administrative system, the doctors alleged.
He also criticized the health minister’s attempt to pacify their sentiments with the announcement that a new hospital block would be named after Dr Vandana Das.
Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly VD Satheesan also continued to criticize the government over the matter and said that top officials and the government are trying to justify the police in the incident even though it has embarrassed the entire force .
He asked, “Why is the chief minister silent despite the entire force being embarrassed by this incident?”
Alleging widespread irregularities in the FIR, Satheesan also asked how the people of the state can have faith in the police even though the First Information Report of the murder that shook the state was “wrongly written”.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)