Kerala govt announces ordinance for safety of medical professionals amid heavy protests over doctor’s murder

In the wake of widespread protests by doctors over the killing of a young doctor a day ago, the Kerala government on Thursday decided to issue an ordinance to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals in hospitals.

Doctors intensified their agitations today, seeking justice for Dr Vandana Das who was stabbed to death at a government hospital in Kollam district by a man brought there by the police in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

Following this, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened an emergency high-level meeting and decided to issue an ordinance to amend the hospital protection law.

The ordinance to amend the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2012 would be introduced in the next cabinet meeting, a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.

It was also decided that police outposts would be set up in all major hospitals in the state, the statement said.

State Health Minister Veena George, Chief Secretary V P Joy along with the secretaries of health, law, and medical education, the state police chief, ADGPs, and various other officials attended the meeting.

The government’s decision came hours after the Kerala High Court said that the incident that led to the killing of the young medical professional had been an outcome of “systemic failure”.