Kochi: The Kerala High Court has expressed concern over increasing attacks on doctors and asked what measures had been taken to ensure security for them.
“The government should ensure security. Are there no police aid posts in hospitals? There are 137 cases this year. Ten cases occur every month,” the court observed.
Recently, after a woman who was being treated in the neurology section of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College died, the husband kicked a lady doctor, who informed him of the woman's death, to the ground.
After the doctors staged protests, the husband of the deceased woman, Senthil Kumar of Puthumana, T.B. Junction, Velichakala in Kollam, was arrested.
In addition to the offence of assaulting the doctor, charges under non-bailable sections of the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property Act) and for disruption of duty were slapped on him.
Medical PG students had held a token strike in protest against the initial delay in arresting the man. The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) and Indian Medical Association (IMA) had also come out in support of the strike.