Deploy police at Hospitals to prevent Violence against Doctors: Kerala HC advice to Govt
Kochi: Referring to the reports of 'routine' attacks on Healthcare personnel, the Kerala High Court on Thursday suggested the Government to consider deploying police presence in hospitals, especially in the most sensitive areas and later extend it to other hospitals as well.
Although the bench observed that Kerala Healthcare Service Act 2012 has provision for strict penalties for assault against healthcare workers, it opined that the legal provision was not sufficient to stop the assaults.
Therefore, the HC Division bench comprising of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Kauser Edappagath noted, "No doubt, the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2012 provide for very stringent provisions and punishment. However, as the present case demonstrates, it is not always the best deterrent. We, therefore, have to think about placing hospitals, particularly in remote areas, under police protectional cover, more in the evenings and nights, so that the doctors and nurses can work without apprehension."
"Covid has not yet gone - it is still amongst us. The nature and manner of the pandemic may have changed but its effects on citizens, particularly in the post-Covid scenario and complications therefrom are as serious as afore and can ill-afford any complacency. Our health system, therefore, has to be still at the peak efficiency levels because waves of the disease can strike without notice," the bench further observed.
Such observations came from the High Court bench while it was considering a case related to the recent attack on a nurse and a doctor at Neendakara Taluk Hospital.
Medical Dialogues had recently reported that three persons had been arrested for attacking the medical staff of Neendakara Taluk Hospital in Kollam District. In the concerned incident, those people had allegedly attacked a doctor, security staff, and ambulance driver of Taluk hospital in Kollam with iron rods, due to which the nurse was admitted to a medical college as she sustained injuries to her scalp.
Also Read: Kerala: Three held for attacking doctor, medical staff in Neendakara hospital
Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) claimed that all this happened without any good reason as they were agitated because of the case lodged against them for their abusive threatening to the medical staff, two days ago.
"Of course, when incidents happen, consequences have to follow, but unless stringent stipulations are made, such unfortunate events are likely to occur with regularity which we cannot countenance," noted the bench.
At this outset, the bench also took note of the submissions from the Bar about the fact that as a result of the work pressure, sometimes, the healthcare personnel don't treat their patients and bystanders with empathy. Taking note of the same, the bench directed the Associations including IMA to consider the same.
Finally, the bench directed the State to submit information about the number of security personnel deployed in the hospitals and also about the sanctioned Police Aid Posts. It also asked the Government to inform if it can arrange for police presence, at least in the most sensitive areas for now and then extend the same to other places over time.
"The intent of the court is to make sure that the healthcare personnel is able to function in the most efficient manner, without any extraneous pressure being brought upon them and we are certain that the Government will also rise to the occasion in addressing the afore request," the bench noted at this outset.
Apart from this, the bench also directed the State to inform it can control the present practice of allowing everybody to rush into hospitals without any barrier, except only for the patients and their immediate bystanders. This reducing of the crowd would help decreasing the pressure on the healthcare workers, opined the bench.
The matter would be heard next on July 22.
