Attacks by irate relatives of deceased patients rise

Chennai: Effective implementation of the Hospital Protection Act and deploying psychologists to console the distressed relatives of the deceased will put an end to the issues of ill treatment of medicos, said R. Vimala, who is fully additional in-charge, Director of Medical Education.

Tensions arose in the wake of an incident at Stanley hospital where two people, in an inebriated condition, assaulted a doctor.

Such incidents are throwing the spotlight on how the community of doctors is now discussing the strict implementation of laws.

Director of Medical education admitted that the discussion is on to prepare the proposal stating the same.

“The perpetrator can be imprisoned up to 10 years according to the Hospital Protection Act. The arrest in itself creates awareness and frightens others from getting into such activities,” Vimala added.

Deploying psychologists in every health care centre would lessen incidents of assaults on doctors and accentuate the doctor-patient relationship, doctors associations feel.

Suggesting more measures, member of PG Doctors association in Egmore Children hospital, G.S. Vairamuthu said that CCTV cameras should be mandated in every ward in all hospitals.

“A police station along with permanent security guard will prevent gross attacks,” he added. Meanwhile, other doctors are frightened as they might be given the additional responsibility of counseling the patients.

“Doctors in government hospital already bear a big workload. Government should appoint a professional psychologist for the purpose,” he pointed out.