The resident doctors of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College kept away from inpatient and outpatient services on Friday, November 25, in protest of the increasing atrocities towards doctors by patients and bystanders. While they attended duty at the Emergency and Intensive Care Units (ECU/ICU), they questioned the delay in the arrest of Senthil Kumar from Kollam, who allegedly assaulted a resident on Tuesday, November 23.
The said incident happened after senior resident and neurosurgeon Dr Merry Francis Kallory informed Senthil about his wife’s death outside the ICU of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital where she was under treatment. Enraged, Senthil allegedly kicked the doctor in her stomach. Dr Merry is still under treatment and the Medical College police have registered a case under Sections 354 (Assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Health Minister Veena George said that strict action will be taken.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Kerala Chapter strongly condemned the assault against the doctor. “I don't want this job. I don't want to be a neurosurgeon, I don't want to be a doctor.
I am leaving the country – this is what the doctor said to me yesterday while holding her tears. She was kicked by a man on her abdomen. A patient with a tumor in her brain who was in a very critical condition passed away despite the best efforts of the neurosurgery department. The doctor came out of the ICU and informed the patient's husband at 1 am in the morning. The husband kicked her brutally,” IMA Kerala President Dr Sulphi Noohu recalled in his Facebook post.
“The female doctor who got kicked is in the ICU, unable to scream or cry. The suspect is still safe, while the doctor is ready to leave her own profession. Women and women doctors are not safe. This is the second woman doctor attack in the capital city within a month,” he added.
“Many of the times, bystanders of patients we deal with are a bit arrogant. But we understand their situation and keep calm. However, this has crossed limits and escalated into an assault. Even in the recent Alappuzha assault case, the doctor was attacked after declaring the death of the patient. How can we work if we are being attacked for declaring deaths?” Dr Philip Sunny, General Secretary of the Kerala Medical Post Graduates Association (KMPGA), Thiruvananthapuram Medical College asked. He added that the police delayed the arrest citing various reasons. “Initially, the police said they did not make an arrest considering the accused’s feelings. Then they cited the funeral of his wife, and now, they are citing some health issues of the accused. They exhibit a cold response to this case,” he alleged.
A month ago on October 30, Dr C M Shobha, senior general surgeon of the Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital fractured her hands following an alleged assault from Waseer, a 25-year-old man who sought treatment for stomach pain. The said doctor examined his scan reports and advised him to get admitted. Suddenly in a fit of rage, the patient tore off the reports and allegedly assaulted the doctor. He was later arrested and remanded.