Order of the High Court of Kerala regarding protection of health care professionals from attacks in the line of duty, 10/05/2023
Order of the High Court of Kerala regarding the death of a 23 year old house surgeon, Vandana Das due to multiple stab wounds inflicted by a patient in Kottarakkara taluk hospital, Kerala.
P. Sreekumar, counsel said that he was forced to file the interim application because the student community would feel unsure and unsafe to work as interns and house surgeons in government hospitals.
The High Court said that it was the duty of the persons in charge, especially the police and security personnel to ensure that doctors, health care professionals, nurses and others are protected to the maximum extent. In the past, the Kerala government has been promising that they would be considering amendments to the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and damage to Property Act, 2012).
However, no tangible results can be seen and said that the court has been passing orders that any attack on any doctor, healthcare professional, nurse or such other should be taken cognizance of by the Police within a one hour period. The HC said that the citizens also must be made aware of the consequences of attack on such personnel through all methods, including the media.
The Kerala High Court directed that all the orders passed by the court as also the provisions of the Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions Act, 2012 should ensure the protection of every intern, house surgeon, post graduate student and other persons engaged in the health science education.