The Kerala government on Thursday, 11 May, announced that it would be issuing an ordinance to amend the Hospital Protection Act and would be setting up police outposts in major hospitals.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the ordinance will be issued during the next Assembly session to ensure the safety of health workers.
This comes in the light of the brutal stabbing to death of 22-year-old Dr Vandana Das at Kerala's Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital on Wednesday. A patient brought in by the police stabbed her fatally six times on the head, neck, and spine using surgical scissors.
The CM announced the new measures at a meeting convened on Thursday evening, 11 May. Here's what the government will be doing to ensure the safety of doctors:
Police outposts to be set up in major hospitals across the state.
Amendments to strengthen Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act 2012 will be brought in
Necessary changes to be brought in the definitions of health institutions and health workers from time to time in the existing law.
Petitions and suggestions to the government by medical organisations to be considered
Hospitals will be divided into three categories for safety purposes; medical colleges, district government hospitals, general hospitals, women and child hospitals to get police outposts
Other hospitals to be monitored by the police
CCTV cameras to be installed in all hospitals
Security audits in hospitals every six months
Special security system to be put in place to take accused persons and persons of violent nature to hospitals
Congestion to be controlled in and around hospitals
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