Kerala police asked to enforce law tightly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the wake of growing attacks on doctors in medical college hospitals, the government has asked the police to strictly enforce Kerala Health Service Persons and Health Care Services Institutions (Prevention of  Violence and Damage to Property) Act 2012. Additional chief secretary (health) Rajeev Sadanandan told DC that he had taken up the matter with the state police chief earlier. In the event of the attack on the doctor in Thrissur medical college the other day, it would be taken up with police top brass again.

“We are also working closely with the IMA and other organisations of medical staff to come up with a mechanism whereby such incidents could be checked. The idea is to improve doctor-patient communication. Many incidents happen because of lack of communication. The medical staff also need to improve their communication skills to take patients and their bystanders into confidence,” he said.

Mr Sadanandan said the police failure in strictly enforcing law had come to government’s notice. Under the 2012 Act, attack on a duty doctor, a hospital or its staff would invite an imprisonment of up to three years and fine of Rs 50,000. The act of violence is described as; injuring, endangering life, intimidating or obstructing health caregiver. Registered medical practitioners functioning out of medical institutions, nursing professionals and paramedics all come under the category of the health staff.

However, the law has failed to become a strong deterrent because of weak enforcement. According to IMA, not even a dozen cases have been registered under the provisions of this law came into force in 2012. On the lack of communication, resident doctors said unrestricted entry into casualty often led to confusion. “We can convey patient’s condition to one or two bystanders. But when 10 to 15 people come one by one to inquire about the patient, it becomes difficult for us to handle,” said a resident doctor.