A day after 25-year-old Dr Vandana Das was stabbed to death by a man she was treating at the government taluk hospital at Kottarakkara in Kollam district, Kerala’s health system remains almost paralysed with medicos continuing their protest for a second day.
Doctors in both government and private hospitals went on strike along with medical students, citing the incident as just the latest highlighting the disregard for the safety of physicians and other hospital staff.
Unique protests by doctors
Except for those deployed on emergency duty, all doctors in the state boycotted work and organised protest marches and dharnas in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram and cities like Kollam, Kottayam, Kochi, and Kozhikode.
In a unique kind of protest, a female doctor on emergency duty at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital gave in writing to the police that she would not treat any person facing criminal charges if produced without handcuffs.
At a government hospital in Thodupuzha, duty doctors warned police against bringing five people they arrested for a medical examination without handcuffs.
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‘Declare hospitals as special protection zones’
When contacted by South First, Indian Medical Association (IMA) state president Dr Sulphi Noohu said that the continuing protests reflect the extreme lack of security prevailing for doctors and health workers, who often become easy targets for patients with criminal backgrounds, as well as highly influential and powerful relatives of patients.
Across the state, almost all doctors stayed away from work and the normal functioning of even big hospitals remained badly affected. Besides the IMA, the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMO) also called for a boycott of duties till doctors received clear-cut assurances from the government regarding the safety of medical staff.
The only exceptions in the strike were Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and casualties.
Protesting doctors have demanded that the state government declare hospitals as special protection zones in the wake of increasing incidents of attack on those who are on duty.
Also Read: Flash strike by Kerala medical staff after killing of duty doctor
Demands have been made
On 11 May, hundreds of doctors and house surgeons gathered before the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram and shouted slogans demanding protection. They also wanted the framing of clear-cut rules and their quick implementation to avoid similar incidents.
The IMA leadership held talks with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. A high-level meeting in the evening was expected to finalise steps that would help address prevailing security issues among doctors, nurses, and hospital staff.
According to Dr Noohu, the demands placed before the chief minister — other than ordering a detailed probe into the murder of Dr Vandana Das and compensation to her family — include promulgating an ordinance to check violence against health workers, and classifying hospitals as special protection zones.
The protesting doctors warned that they would intensify their agitation by boycotting all medical services, including emergency care, if the government declined their demands.
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Thousands attend Dr Vandana’s funeral
Meanwhile, thousands of people from various walks of life paid their last respects to Dr Vandana Das at her residential complex in Muttuchira, Kottayam, where her mortal remains were placed for public homage.
State Health Minister Veena George and Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan were among those who paid their respects to the doctor who was doing her mandatory house surgency in the Kottarakkara hospital after completing her MBBS course.
No words can console the parents of #DrVandanaDas. The young doctor became a victim of our lax and irresponsible system. Every possible step should be taken to protect doctors and health workers.#DrVandanaDas pic.twitter.com/49nWpu9tcT
— V D Satheesan (@vdsatheesan) May 11, 2023
Police attract criticism
Dr Vandana Das was stabbed to death on Wednesday by G Sandeep — an upper primary school teacher with a reported history of alcoholism and substance abuse — with surgical scissors and a scalpel. He had been brought to the hospital by the police for dressing injuries on his leg, reportedly sustained in a fight with family members.
Going by the FIR made available at the Kerala High Court on 11 May by the police, 42-year-old Sandeep has been booked for offences under IPC Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 324 (hurt by dangerous weapons), 333 (hurting public servant on duty), 307 (attempt to murder), Kerala Prevention of Damage to Private Property and Payment of Compensation Act, 2018, and Kerala Health care Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act 2012.
Meanwhile, the Kerala police have been heavily criticised for their alleged negligence. The Kerala High Court had conducted a special sitting on 11 May, under the division bench comprising Justices Kauser Edappagath and Devan Ramachandran, to look into the murder and the issues it raised.
The state DGP, who appeared via video conferencing, had submitted an investigation report detailing the chronology of the events that transpired at the hospital on 10 May. ADGP Ajit Kumar had appeared in person at the hospital and detailed the sequence of events which led to the brutal murder.
The court had come down heavily on the police for letting a person with criminal behaviour into the hospital without any security and called the murder of Dr Vandana Das a result of “systemic failure”. The division bench questioned how the police could justify the stabs inflicted on Vandana, despite the presence of half a dozen constables on the scene.
The court advised the police to devise an action plan to tackle spontaneous incidents like these. The court had also termed the ongoing protests by doctors across the state as an expression of their fear and lack of safety.
It insisted that the state government handle it with composure, without further escalating the issue.
Also Read: Doctor who attempted suicide over harassment dies in Hyderabad
What of Sandeep now?
Meanwhile, the arrested Sandeep has been remand in custody at Poojappura central jail in Thiruvananthapuram, where he continues to create scenes.
According to sources at the jail, he is exhibiting angry behaviour, apart from refusing to eat and disobeying jail staff. He also reportedly screamed several times, saying that somebody was trying to murder him.
Police suspect that he was pretending to be mentally challenged to escape trial and punishment.
