Kerala: Patient arrested for allegedly manhandling doctors in Thiruvananthapuram Medical College

A patient was arrested on Wednesday night following a complaint that he manhandled the doctors on duty at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. Sudheer, a Balaramapuram resident who had been admitted into the medical college's neurosurgery department, was detained by the police.

Thiruvananthapuram: Numerous incidents of violence against medical professionals and staff members still occur in the state. A patient was arrested on Wednesday night following a complaint that he manhandled the doctors on duty at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.

Sudheer, a Balaramapuram resident who had been admitted into the medical college's neurosurgery department, was detained by the police. After a disagreement about the course of treatment, the resident doctors said that Sudheer, who is bedridden, assaulted and pushed them. 

Meanwhile, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Tuesday signed the ordinance that provides for stringent punishment, including imprisonment of up to seven years and a maximum fine of Rs 5 lakh for those found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to those working in the health services sector in the state, official sources said.

Following the brutal murder of Dr. Vandana Das at a taluk hospital in the Kollam district by a patient -- G Sandeep, a school teacher by profession -- the ordinance was approved on May 17 in a Cabinet meeting presided over by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. 

Dr Vandana Das, a native of the Kaduthuruthy area of Kottayam district and the only child of her parents was a house surgeon at Azeezia Medical College Hospital and was working at the Kottarakkara taluk hospital as part of her training. 

The ordinance also provides that anyone who commits or attempts to commit or incites or inspires an act of violence against healthcare workers or those working in healthcare institutions shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than 6 months and up to 5 years and with a fine between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2 lakh. 

Furthermore, the ordinance extends the protection under the Act to paramedical students, security guards, managerial staff, ambulance drivers, and helpers who are posted and working in healthcare institutions as well as those health workers who would be notified in the official government gazette from time to time.