Violence against Healthcare Professionals: IMA Kerala demands monthly audit on hospital attacks

Kozhikode: Taking cognizance of the instances of increasing cases of violence against healthcare professionals, the Kerala branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded that a systemic audit on hospital attacks in the state should be made and an action report should also be submitted every month. 

Explaining their demands, IMA State President N. Sulphi told Medical Dialogues, " It is important to have a clear idea of the numbers of incidents where medical professionals have been attacked by miscreants. Moreover, what legal actions have been taken against the culprits should also be documented. District Collectors should get a report on the incidents of violence against doctors, the description of the legal actions, and police reports following the incident each month as a routine procedure."

The doctor also pointed out that the High Court has also directed the local government to have regular assessments of such instances of attacks on doctors. Only by coming up with a proper systematic way of auditing such attacks that preventive measures be taken to ensure the safety of the doctors. IMA demanded stringent action against each of the hospital attacks within a fixed time frame to reduce such cases of attacks on the medical staff.

IMA took the initiative of STRIDES, a program framed to help medical professionals, following which visited Medical Colleges and other hospitals in the Kollam district on Monday. IMA representatives paid visits to different medical colleges and had conversations with the young doctors regarding different problems that they are currently facing other than the cases of violence. IMA talked about delays faced by young doctors to secure registration, non-payment of stipends, lack of opportunities in higher education and job scenario and human rights violation. 

"IMA will continue to raise these issues in front of the authorities also. However, for now, we have demanded a monthly audit regarding actions are being taken to ensure that the culprits who threaten and attack doctors must face consequences," added Dr N. Sulphi.