Despite stirs, doctors in Kerala continue to face attacks

Doctors in Kerala are agitated over the frequent attacks in various parts of the state despite strong protests staged by forums.

In the latest incident, a doctor and staff at a government taluk hospital at Parassala on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram were attacked by a gang on Monday night. Objections raised by hospital staff and a duty doctor against attendants of a patient entering the hospital without wearing masks properly allegedly ended in the attack.

The incident happened at a time when the doctors were already agitated over the attack on a doctor at a primary health centre at Alappuzha district last week, after he did not heed to the demand of some local political activists for vaccinating certain persons "on priority". Alleging police inaction on his complaint, the doctor who allegedly suffered the assault even staged a protest by working on his off day.

Kerala Government Medical Officers Association state president Dr Joseph Chacko said that the doctors would be forced to go on stir if effective steps were not taken to curb the increasing number of attacks.

According to IMA, at least 60 incidents of attack on doctors were reported in Kerala over the last few years. Doctors in the state had also joined a nationwide stir.