RIP Dr Vandana Das: Medical fraternity shattered out on streets demanding Doctors Protection Act

Thiruvananthapuram: The doctors protesting against the horrifying murder of a young doctor in Kerala have now intensified their protest and they have demanded new legislation for the protection of hospitals with immediate effect.

While the majority of the doctors in the State have remained absent from their work in hospitals for the last 24 hours, the doctors under Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMO) announced a strike Today.

Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and casualties would be exempted from the stir, but the Out Patient (OP) services in the state hospitals would be affected due to the agitation, the doctors said.

The protesting doctors also wanted the government to declare the hospitals as special protection zones in the wake of increasing incidents of attacks on doctors on duty. 

The strike will go on until the government launches an ordinance for hospital security and assuring the safety of the doctors. The decision to proceed with the strike came up after a meeting with the chief minister on Thursday morning.

IMA urged the government to introduce the ordinance in a time bound manner. 

In a statement, KGMOA demanded that strict action must be taken against perpetrators to prevent the recurrence of such diabolical incidents. It also called for exemplary punishment of attackers so that it will act as a deterrent.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people from various walks of life including ministers, MLAs paid their last respects to the deceased doctor, Vandana Das at her residence in Muttuchira in Kottayam, where the mortal remains are kept for public homage. State Health Minister Veena George and Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan were among those who paid respects, adds PTI.

Also Read: Kerala Horror: House surgeon stabbed to death with scissors by patient during treatment, doctors on strike

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the female house surgeon Dr. Vandana Das was brutally stabbed to death with scissors at a government hospital in Kerala's Kollam district allegedly by a prisoner who was brought to the facility for a medical examination by the Police.

Five others, including the policeman, sustained injuries during the incident. The doctor was immediately taken to a private hospital in Kottarakkara, where she died while undergoing treatment. The incident took place at the government taluk hospital in Kottarakkara, police said.

Aggrieved over the incident, the medical students, under the aegis of the House Surgeons Association, commenced a protest raising slogans of 'Inquilab Zindabad'.

Furthermore, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had called for a total strike in the hospitals across the state to protest death of the woman doctor. IMA and Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA) had protested across the State to draw the attention of state authorities against the case and seek justice for the deceased healthcare staff. PG doctors and students pursuing MBBS course had been spotted protesting at the Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Dismayed over the killing of the young doctor, the Kerala High Court said the incident was an outcome of police and government failure and sought a report regarding the incident from the state police chief who was also asked to be present virtually when the matter is taken up on Thursday morning.

Expressing its shock over the matter, the HC division bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Kauser Edappagath observed, "We are, like any other right thinking citizen, shocked and distraught by the tragic events and feel helpless for not having been able to ensure that Dr.Vandana Das lived a full life. The least we can do is to place on record our deep felt condolences to the family, friends, relatives, classmates and colleagues of Dr.Vandana Das and assure them that her sacrifice will not be forgotten easily."

"...when Dr.Vandana Das was killed in such a gruesome manner, it prima facie establishes a breakdown of the protectional system which was expected to take care of her. This is more so because, the incident happened in a Government Hospital, when it was the duty of the persons in charge, particularly the police and security personnel, to ensure that doctors, Health Care Professionals, Nurses and others, are protected to the maximum extent," the bench further observed yesterday.

Referring to its previous observation, the bench noted that the Government had earlier promised that they would be considering amendments to the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Services Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2012. At this outset, the bench noted, "However, no tangible results have been brought to our notice and we are informed by the learned counsel appearing for the parties that, though some meetings were scheduled, nothing has evolved out of them."

Further, the bench had issued the following directions in connection of the death of Dr. Vandana:

(a) The CCTV visuals of the rooms/places of occurrence of the incident that led to the unfortunate death of Vandana Das be preserved; and the Superintendent of Taluk Hospital, Kottarakkara, shall personally ensure it.

(b) We direct the Judicial First Class Magistrate-I, Kottarakkara, to forthwith visit the Taluk Hospital, Kottarakkara, and conduct an inspection of the scene of incident and report to us by tomorrow.

(c) Every order that we have passed in this case, as also the provisions of the aforementioned 'Act', shall apply in its full force and warrant to every Intern, House Surgeon, Post Graduate student and other persons engaged in the Health Science Education, without any reservation; and all our orders shall be implemented in its letter and spirit as far as such sections are also concerned. We, however, leave liberty to Sri.S.Kannan – learned Senior Government Pleader, to seek any modification of this particular direction, if needed in future.

To read the HC order, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/kerala-hc-order-209441.pdf

Also Read: Doctors continue to face threats, Even for the slightest provocation, health personnel are attacked: Kerala HC expresses concern on repeated violence against doctors