Mob attacks duty doctor at taluk hospital in Kerala, colleagues boycott OP

The victim doctor has been identified as Dr L Ganesh.

Outraged by the incident, the doctors of the hospital boycotted the out-patient wing to protest against the attack. The strike was called by the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA).

As per various media accounts, the incident took place around 10.30 pm late at night on Thursday. An 85-year-old woman, Saraswathy Amma was found dead in a well following which the Sooranad North Panchayat president Sreekumar and others took her to the hospital. They called the doctor inside the ambulance to confirm her death. During the time, the doctor was busy attending another emergency case in the casualty, and could not rush immediately.

Read: Angry mob assaults 2 senior doctors at Delhi hospital

Speaking to the Medical Dialogues, the Secretary of KGMOA, Dr Suresh T.N gave details about the incident and said, "Day before yesterday, a patient was brought dead to the hospital causality, allegedly with a history of falling into the well and drowning. And the person who brought her was the panchayat president and his accomplices. They wanted the doctor to go inside the ambulance and certify the death. Actually, there are certain procedures to be followed before that. The body has to be taken into the hospital, and if brought dead, the police have to be intimated and there are a lot of procedures to be done. And the doctor asked the persons who brought the patient. They told the doctor has to go into the ambulance to certify the death and they had to take the body back home. The doctor refused. The doctor was attending another patient in causality who came with an emergency."

According to a media report in Mathrubhumi, when the doctor told the president that an ECG report is required to confirm the death of the patient, the group reportedly started verbally abusing and physically assaulting the doctor. They also beat up the hospital staff who were trying to capture a video of the incident.

Dr Suresh said that when the doctor refused, the group created havoc and started verbally abusing and assaulting, adding that, "He got some injuries. There are CCTV footages and video of the incident which took place in the hospital and is circulating in the social media about what happened".

The victim doctor was eventually admitted to the Kottarakkara taluk hospital with minor injuries. On basis of the complaint registered by the doctor, a non-bailable offense was registered against the president and others who were involved. A case has been registered under Section 353 (preventing an official from carrying out his duty) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the state pandemic control act among others with arrests are yet to be made, reports the Hindustan Times.

As per The Hindu report, the president along with a person identified as Kanjiravila Ajayan called the hospital superintendent later threatening to go forward with the complaint. Meanwhile, the panchayat president also got admitted to a private hospital and filed a complaint alleging that he was also assaulted by the doctor.

Commenting on the incident, the KGMOA president Dr Reena and secretary Dr Roshan Raj told The Hindu, "The doctors at Sasthamcotta taluk hospital will go on a strike and boycott OP until the culprits are arrested under the Hospital Protection Act".

On the future course of action, they added that the association would launch district-wise protest if the arrest of the accused allegedly undergoing treatment in a private hospital to avert the same was delayed.

Condemning the incident, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that such incidents affecting the morale of the health workers would not be tolerated. After interacting with the doctors, she added, "Strict action will be taken against those involved"

This is reportedly the tenth incident involving an assault on doctors that took place in Kerala over the last four months due to which a government order was also passed issuing the arrest of those involved in attacking a doctor on duty, The News Minute reports.

The Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that direction were issued by the Kerala High Court to ensure the safety of health professionals and to prevent people from taking the law into their hands.

Also Read: Kerala HC calls for strict action against those who attack doctors