Hours after the Kollam Additional Sessions Court sentenced G Sandeep to life imprisonment for the murder of Dr Vandana Das, the Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA) on Saturday welcomed the verdict. However, the organisation pointed out that the follow-up actions to ensure the safety of healthcare workers are inadequate.

The incident occurred on May 10, 2023, when the Pooyappally police brought Sandeep to the Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital for medical examination. There, he suddenly turned violent and stabbed Dr Vandana, who had been working as a house surgeon there, multiple times. Following the incident, Dr Vandana was taken to a private hospital in Kottarakkara and later shifted to Thiruvananthapuram, where she was declared dead.

In a statement released on Saturday, the KGMOA welcomed the judgment, saying that the organisation had expected that the accused would receive the maximum punishment prescribed by law for the cruel murder of Dr Vandana. It also thanked the Kerala Police and the prosecution for their respective roles in ensuring justice for Vandana.

However, it pointed out the need to examine whether healthcare workers can work fearlessly while on duty, following the shocking incident which led to the demise of a colleague.

The KGMOA said that the directives to entrust the security of major hospitals to the State Industrial Security Force (SISF), establish police aid posts in all major hospitals, and conduct security audits every six months are yet to be implemented.

The organisation also argued that the rush in the emergency departments of government hospitals often leads to attacks against healthcare workers. It added that the attack against a doctor at the Thamarassery Taluk Hospital was the latest example of this.

Given these circumstances, the organisation demanded measures on a war footing to ensure the safety of healthcare workers' lives. According to the statement, these include implementing the triage system in all casualty departments. Additionally, the service of two CMOs must be ensured in every shift.

The organisation also called for the security of major hospitals to be entrusted to the SISF and for police aid posts to be established in all other hospitals with casualties. Additionally, funds for CCTV systems and the appointment of ex-servicemen security guards must be made available in a timely manner.

It also sought modern equipment and training to equip the police force and hospital security departments to deal with offenders exhibiting more aggressive tendencies. The organisation also demanded that the patient-doctor ratio be clearly defined and implemented in each cadre.