Doctors want security beefed at K R Hospital

Services hit as protest is staged

Following the assault on a doctor and three post-graduate students of medicine, a protest was staged in front of K R Hospital on Monday. Resident doctors and junior doctors from Mysore Medical College and Research Centre, under the aegis of Junior Doctors Association participated in the protest and sought police protection at the hospital premises to prevent such incidents in the future.

According to a memorandum submitted to the Dean of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Dr Geetha Avadhani, the protestors sought action against the culprits who attacked the doctors.

Quoting the Karnataka Prohibition of Violence Against Medicare Service Personnel and Damage to property in Medicare Service Associations Act, 2009, they said that action should be initiated against the assaulters as per the Act. The Act imposes a penalty of three years imprisonment and Rs 50,000 in fine.

“Police protection was sought at sensitive areas of the hospital, such as the casualty ward, medical emergency wards and Intensive Care Units of the hospital, to prevent such problems from recurring,” Dr Geetha Avadhani said.

One junior doctor and three post graduate students of MMCRI were assaulted by irate relatives on Sunday, following the death of Mutthu Venkataiah.

President of Junior Doctor’s Association, addressing the protestors said that such incidents occurred often at emergency wards and ICU’s. He said that relatives of the patients who succumbed to various ailments take doctors for granted, verbally abuse them and at times man handle the doctors on duty.

Medical Superintendent of K R Hospital, Dr B G Sagar and Dr Geetha Avadhani pacified the agitating junior doctors and assured them security.

Assistant Commissioner of Police of Devaraja sub-division visited the spot and assured to deploy police personnel at the hospital.

“Three police personnel are always present in the hospital premises. Providing additional police personnel at sensitive centres of the hospital will be considered,” she said.

Patients suffer

As resident and junior doctors staged a demonstration, several services at the hospital were hit for more than an hour, causing inconvenience to patients.

Police assures security

A delegation from K R Hospital met the Commissioner of Police in Mysore to discuss security at the hospital.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Commissioner K L Sudheer said, he had instructed police officials to visit the hospital on a regular basis. “We are thinking of shifting the police outpost a the hospital to a more convenient location. It is currently manned by one police head-constable and four constables. We will add more personnel,” he said.

He said, hospital authorities have been instructed to install CCTV cameras, as a security measure.