Furore in Kerala's medical fraternity over doctor's arrest

Kottayam, Jan 3 (UNI) Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association, Indian Medical Association, KGMOA and other doctors associations today objected to the way police arrested a doctor in connection with the death of a patient here.

Police arrested Asst Prof P Ashokan of Medical College Hospital here yesterday in connection with alleged negligence in providing timely treatment to a youth with head injuries suffered in a road accident on Sunday. The patient succumbed on Monday evening.

Doctors and medical students in all medical colleges in the state were on strike today in protest against the arrest of Dr Ashokan.

At a news meet here today, various association leaders contended that the arrest violated all procedures and would destroy the morale of the medical profession. They demanded suspension of the concerned police officials. If immediate action was not taken, the agitation would be intensified, they warned.

The agitating doctors and medical students staged protest demonstrations at Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Alappuzha Medical Colleges.

Refuting the charge of negligence on the part of doctors, association leaders said it was not a medically preventable death.

Patients sometimes die in hospitals but doctors should not be victimised for it without proving culpable negligence on their part, they said.

UNI