Kerala Health Minister Veena George has said that the recent increase in attacks against doctors and health workers in the state has not come to the attention of the Kerala government. The Minister gave a written reply to the same effect in the state Legislative Assembly on August 4, in response to a query by Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan. The MLA asked whether the state has noticed an increase in violence against doctors by patients and their relatives, to which the Health Minister replied in the negative.
The latest incidence of violence in the state was reported on August 7, when a woman doctor and other staff at the Thiruvananthapuram Fort Taluk Hospital were assaulted by two men. In a video that surfaced of the incident, the men are seen abusing the doctor, as well as assaulting her and trying to pin her to a wall. One of the men can be heard telling the doctor that if she were a man, she would have to be “torn off the wall”. Other staff members were also hit when they tried to intervene.
Rafeeq (34) and Rashid (41) were arrested following the incident. They had reportedly arrived at the hospital in an inebriated state for minor injuries. Dr Malu Murali, who was on duty at midnight, asked them to wait as there were other patients to attend to, after which they assaulted her. Following this, the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA), a body representing doctors working in government hospitals, had written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to stop attacks on doctors. In a memorandum submitted on August 8, the KGMOA had cited that the doctors who work tirelessly are being attacked frequently.
Earlier on May 14, Dr Rahul Mathew, a surgeon at the District Hospital in Alappuzha’s Mavelikkara was subjected to severe abuse and assault by a police personnel who brought his ailing mother to the hospital in the wee hours. The official’s mother had COVID-19, and was declared as brought dead. However, the police personnel, Abhilash, accused the doctor of negligence for his mother's death. Abhilash allegedly slapped the doctor, hit him on his back and tried to strangle him. Though Abhilash has been suspended from service his arrest hasn’t been recorded. KGMOA staged a protest in June by boycotting specialty outpatient department duties across hospitals for an hour.
The Health Minister’s response in the Assembly is despite Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan saying that stern action would be taken against the atrocities against doctors. The CM expressed this at a high level meeting convened on August 10, after the attack on Dr Malu Murali, to discuss the atrocities against doctors. The CM also directed immediate arrest of the culprits. The Health Minister was also present at the meeting.
KGMOA Thiruvananthapuram unit President Dr Santhosh Babu told TNM that the Health Minister’s response will be discussed in the Association. “Even the CM had responded in favour of the doctors. We would examine what has prompted the minister’s response,” he said.