Kollam: A 23-year-old physician was stabbed to loss of life on Wednesday at a hospital within the Kottarakkara space of Kollam district in Kerala allegedly by a person, a college trainer beneath suspension, who was introduced there by police after being concerned in a combat along with his relations.
According to an officer of Kottarakkara police, whereas a wound on the leg of the person — recognized as Sandeep — was being dressed by physician Vandana Das, he all of a sudden obtained provoked and attacked everybody standing there utilizing a scissor and scalpel. The incident occurred in the course of the early hours of Wednesday morning and Das succumbed to her accidents a number of hours later.
The brunt of the assault was borne by the younger physician whereas the police personnel who accompanied the person had been additionally injured. The physician was rushed to a non-public hospital in Thiruvananthapuram however couldn’t be saved. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the loss of life of the physician and stated the incident was “shocking and extremely painful”. He stated a radical investigation might be performed into the matter.
“Assaulting health workers in the line of duty is unacceptable. A thorough investigation will be conducted into the incident. The government will take strong action against attacks on doctors and health workers,” Vijayan stated in a press release. Both the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) docs protested throughout the state towards the incident.
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission, primarily based on media reviews of the incident, by itself, initiated a case and sought a report inside seven days from the District Police Chief of Kollam. The incident kicked off a political row over Health Minister Veena George’s assertion earlier than the media that the sufferer was a home surgeon and due to this fact, inexperienced and obtained scared when the assault occurred.
Criticizing her assertion, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Okay Sudhakaran questioned what the minister meant by the physician being inexperienced. “Does she mean the doctor was inexperienced to counter or defend against an attack by a man addicted to drugs and alcohol? The statement is a joke,” he informed reporters. Condoling the loss of life of the physician, Sudhakaran stated it was unhappy and unlucky that one thing like this occurred.
Leader of Opposition within the Assembly and senior Congress chief V D Satheesan stated the physician’s homicide has shaken your entire Kerala society. He contended that it was a harmful state of affairs that hospitals are usually not protected locations and alleged that the physician was killed because of “negligence of the police”.
Education Minister V Sivankutty additionally condoled the loss of life and stated it was a stunning incident. He stated the federal government will take all essential steps beneath the regulation together with departmental motion towards the accused, who’s a college trainer. The state authorities got here beneath fireplace from the Congress and the BJP with each events alleging that it has finished little to make sure the protection of healthcare employees at their workplaces.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan, whereas expressing shock and concern over the tragic incident, contended it was a disgrace that docs and healthcare employees weren’t protected in Kerala. He alleged that the “apathy and callousness” of the Pinarayi Vijayan authorities and its “misgovernance” was tarnishing the picture of the state and bringing disrepute to it.
“Shocked to study concerning the brutal homicide of Dr Vandana Das and assault on hospital workers in Kottarakkara. Atrocious that dreaded criminals are lower unfastened, endangering the lives of life savers. Deeply involved concerning the security of docs and healthcare employees in Kerala.
“Shame that doctors and healthcare workers are not safe in Kerala, which is a renowned global destination for medical tourism and has a rich legacy of various streams of medicine and healthcare. The apathy and callousness of @pinarayivijayan and the misgovernance of @CPIMKerala are tarnishing that image and bringing disrepute to the State. It’s a disgrace that @pinarayivijayan government can’t keep our doctors safe,” he tweeted.
Speaking alongside comparable traces, Satheesan alleged it was deplorable that the state authorities has finished little to make sure the protection of healthcare employees. He stated there have been widespread issues within the well being division and in every case solely inquiries had been introduced and past that, nothing else occurred. The Congress chief attacked George too by saying that the minister had ordered the “most number of investigations in the state’s history”.
Meanwhile, KGMOA indicated its protest towards the physician’s killing. In a press release, the medical physique stated all companies besides emergency therapy might be suspended right now in Kollam district. It sought exemplary punishment for these liable for the incident and demanded that stringent measures be put in place to forestall the recurrence of such incidents.
KGMOA, within the assertion issued by president Dr T N Suresh, additionally urged the federal government to strengthen safety in hospitals, guarantee due precautions are taken when bringing the accused in custody for medical examination and urgently implement a triage system.
Medical professionals got here out on the streets in Kottarakkara in protest towards the incident, in accordance with visuals on TV channels. Similar protests had been seen at another hospitals within the state as nicely.
Giving particulars of what transpired within the hospital, an officer of Kottarakkara police station stated the person had referred to as the emergency helpline to avoid wasting him from his relations following a combat with them.
When police arrived on the scene, they discovered him injured and took him to the hospital for medical examination and therapy. “He had consumed alcohol and was violent after we took him to the hospital. He was alone with the physician as we’re not allowed into the room when a affected person’s wound is being dressed.
“Suddenly, there was a commotion and the doctor ran out screaming for help followed by the man who was carrying a scissor and a scalpel and was shouting ‘I will kill you’,” the officer stated and added it was not but recognized why he obtained so violent and focused the physician.
When the officers on the scene tried to cease him, he attacked them too. Besides the physician, 4 others had been injured by the person who additionally vandalized some areas of the hospital, the officer stated. “He was later subdued with much difficulty and taken into custody,” the officer stated.
While after the assault, a case beneath Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code for tried homicide was lodged, the officer said that in view of the physician’s loss of life, homicide expenses are prone to be imposed on the accused. Reacting to the incident, an IMA official informed a TV channel that it was an unlucky and unhappy incident and docs throughout Kerala might be protesting towards the identical.
“Such incidents should not happen. We (doctors) cannot continue working in such circumstances. It is unacceptable that our lives are in danger when we are trying to save lives. We had in the past too indicated our objections to such attacks on medical professionals. We are angry and sad over the incident,” he stated.
The IMA official stated the physician was a home surgeon at Azeezia Medical College Hospital and was on the taluk hospital as a part of her coaching. Several makes an attempt had been made to resuscitate her, however her life couldn’t be saved, the IMA official stated.
