When Hospital Protection Act comes into force

Healthcare workers, including doctors, have been demanding an amendment to the Hospital Protection Act of 2012, by including stringent provisions for a long time. The death of Dr Vandana Das, the house surgeon stabbed to death by an assailant at the Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital, prompted the government to make the amendment. With the cabinet approving the draft of the ordinance, it is only enough to introduce the bill in the next assembly session and pass it. Many health workers came under attack in many hospitals in recent times. Such incidents are common in government hospitals. The main reason for this is the limitations in government hospitals. Shortage of staff is a huge issue. Even those who come for urgent treatment are being forced to wait for a long time. The relatives may get provoked by such incidents. Mistakes and inadequacies in treatment can sometimes escalate into conflict. There are also people who dare to attack the doctor and staff without any proper reason.

Those working in busy hospitals such as Taluk-District Hospitals and Medical College Hospitals are facing severe mental conflict. It is unacceptable that health workers have to deal with the abuse and aggression of patients and relatives apart from the pressure of work. Police will help with security matters in big hospitals. However, it is not possible to provide similar protection everywhere. Uncontrolled overcrowding in emergency departments often leads to conflict between hospital staff and relatives of patients.

If the patients and their companions are violent, naturally there will be conflict. Changes may occur as the law has been amended in such a way that any kind of violence against health workers invites severe punishment. The new arrangement in the hospitals will be in such a way that the patients arriving in the emergency department will be classified into three groups and sent to their respective zones. Patients who appear aggressive will be referred to the doctor with extreme caution. They will also be guarded in places where the police are present. The Hospital Protection Amendment Act provides for imprisonment from one year to seven years and a fine ranging from one lakh to five lakh rupees. The entire hospital staff, including security guards and ambulance staff, will come under the ambit of the security law. A court will be assigned in each district to carry out the trial in cases of assault on hospital staff. The provision that the investigation of the cases should be completed within two months is also a positive factor.

No one should think that even those who speak loudly can be put behind bars using the new strict law. This law may be misused, just like many other laws. The primary goals of the amendment are to guarantee the smooth functioning of hospitals and proper protection for medical personnel. No patient comes to the hospital as an enemy. They approach a hospital looking for a solution to their physical problems. The hospital staff should behave by understanding their mental and physical condition. No one has the right to behave rudely to those who seek treatment thinking that the law is there to save them. It is natural for people to have complaints about hospital staff. There should be an effective mechanism to resolve it in time.