THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Doctors in the state have strongly condemned the attack on a woman doctor by the relatives of a patient at the Kottarakkara Government Hospital and have sought action against the assailants.
Protesting against the increasing number of attacks on medical professionals by the aggrieved relatives of patients, the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have demanded protection of medical professionals in all the hospitals.
The doctors resorted to such attacks after a woman doctor was attacked by the relatives of Shahida, a pregnant women, who died at the Kottarakkara Government Hospital, allegedly owing to medical negligence. At the time of death, she was nine months pregnant. According to relatives, Shahida was in good health as she had come to the hospital on foot. They alleged that she died because of the lapse on the part of the doctor who was reportedly in charge of the operation theatre.
KGMOA president Dr V Madhu and general secretary Dr A K Raoof have sought security in all hospitals by enforcing the Hospital Protection Act, adequate security staff, police aid and CCTV cameras.
Noting that the cause of death might be the dreaded ‘amniotic fluid embolism or ‘injection anaphylaxis due to cefotaxim’, the KGMOA leaders also sought withdrawal of the suspected injection. They stated that ‘injection anaphylaxis’ had earlier created some complications in many hospitals. They also said that doctors were always made scapegoats when someone in treatment died.
Meanwhile, IMA state president Dr A V Jayakrishnan and general secretary Dr Samuel Koshi warned that the doctors in the state would be forced to go on agitation if the assailants were not arrested and protection was not given to medical professionals.