AP DGP assures protection to doctors, hospitals against attacks

VIJAYAWADA: Director General of Police K.V. Rajendranath Reddy on Thursday assured protection to doctors and hospitals from attacks by kin of patients or others in the state.

A delegation of Indian Medical Association (IMA), AP branch, led by its president Dr Ravi Krishnan and general-secretary Dr Phanidhar, met the DGP at Mangalagiri on Thursday.

The delegation urged Rajendranath to implement the Andhra Pradesh Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2008, enacted by former chief minister late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s regime. The delegation wanted the DGP to circulate copies of this act to all police stations in the state so that their personnel could become aware of the act and implement it properly.

The DGP assured the delegation that he would initiate necessary action to curb attacks on doctors and hospitals in the state.

With regard to booking of cases against doctors in case of the death of a patient based on a complaint lodged by the kin of the deceased, IMA representatives requested the DGP to keep in view the judgments of the Supreme Court on the matter. They said a three-member committee of health experts must be appointed and the case booked must be on basis of this committee’s findings.

The IMA delegation also asked Rajendranath to comply with the norms of the apex court while arresting doctors based on recommendations of the expert committee.

The DGP responded positively to the delegation’s plea. He asked doctors to make all efforts to save the lives of patients by attending to them immediately. He assured that all help will be made available to doctors who act promptly.