Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) on Sunday asked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to increase security at the hospitals and submitted a list of suggestions in this regard.
The request from the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association comes in view of the attack on a doctor and a security guard at the Fort Taluk Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.
The association, while asking the Chief Minister to prevent a repeat of such incidents, said the facilities at hospitals are inadequate to prevent attacks resulting in affecting the smooth delivery of essential medical care to the people.
“Repeated incidents of hospital coming under attack in the recent past have demoralised doctors who have been tirelessly working to control the Covid-19 pandemic,” PTI quoted the association as saying in a letter to the Chief Minister.
“We are sure that you understand the gravity of the situation and will see to it that such untoward incidents are not repeated,” the association added.
The association, as part of the suggestions, also asked the state government to recognise all healthcare institutions under the Kerala State Health Services as special security zones under Section 83 of the Kerala Police Act 2011.
“Police aid posts should be established in all hospitals having casualty service. Infrastructure of healthcare institutions should be improved to enhance security,” the association said in the letter.
“Security cameras should be installed and adequate security personnel in the institutions. The post of security staff must be created in major hospitals,” the association added.
Demanding that all cases of attacks be dealt with under the Hospital Protection Act, 2012, the doctors sought prompt action against the culprits.
The Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association also sought steps to reduce heavy rush and long queues in healthcare institutions stating “the patient load in most healthcare institutions is unmanageable due to improper staff patterns”.
“Doctors and paramedical staff are inadequate for the increased patient load. Necessary steps should be taken to assess the patient load of individual institutions and increase the number of posts accordingly,” the association added.
Earlier on Friday, two men in an inebriated state allegedly assaulted a doctor and a security staff at the Fort Taluk Hospital.
The police have taken the two men into custody in connection with this incident.