The recent murder of a doctor in Kerala has sparked a heated discussion on the safety of medical professionals in the state. While this is not a new issue, there are two sides to the problem.
According to reports, the approach towards patients in most government hospitals in the state is distressing. This includes employees from sweepers to doctors, who are often overwhelmed by the high number of patients they have to treat on a daily basis. It’s no secret that some doctors ask patients to visit them outside the hospital and even demand bribes, as incidents of this nature have been reported in the past.
While most people show resilience in the face of such behavior, a few react violently, which is often reported as an “attack” on health workers. However, when disciplinary actions are taken against employees, the employee union immediately acts to cancel them, creating a scenario where the government is unable to take corrective action.
On the other hand, there are also cases where relatives turn against doctors for their failure to save a loved one’s life. While it’s natural for people to act out of grief and trauma, calming patients’ relatives is also an essential part of medical education.
However, what happened in Kerala recently was completely different. A criminal under the influence of drugs was brought to a hospital without even being handcuffed, and when he attacked a doctor, police officers who were supposed to protect people simply protected themselves and threw the doctor to the side. This was purely due to negligence in the government system.
Doctors and other health workers’ unions have protested against this and the government has promised 24-hour protection for hospitals. Reports suggest that the government is also planning to introduce an ordinance for stricter measures to protect health workers. However, some fear that this may add to the arrogance of health workers who are notorious for their approach to the public.
While it is crucial to protect health workers from violent attacks, it is equally important to protect the rights of common people who seek solace in hospitals for their suffering. An ordinance should not be enacted in an emotional state, but every aspect of the problem should be carefully considered to create a solution that is fair and just for all parties involved.
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