More than a year has passed since the devastating murder of Dr Vandana Das, a young house surgeon in Kerala, and the medical community is once again rallying for justice. On Friday, medicos in the state took to the streets to observe a Black Day, demanding justice for a postgraduate student from RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata, who was recently raped and brutally murdered.

The All India Federation of Government Doctors’ Associations (AIFGDA) spearheaded the nationwide protest, with the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) participating actively in the state. The protest is not just a call for justice but also a plea for stronger and more effective follow-up actions in such grave cases. Alongside the demonstration, the Kerala Medical Postgraduate Association (KMPGA) has announced a boycott of outpatient and ward duties for the day, though emergency services will continue as usual. Furthermore, the KGMOA plans to campaign from August 18 to 31 to enhance workplace safety and prevent future incidents.

This recent wave of protests echoes the tragic case of Dr Vandana Das, who was fatally attacked on May 10, 2023. Dr Das, a 25-year-old house surgeon, was repeatedly stabbed with surgical instruments by a drug addict brought to Kottarakkara Government Taluk Hospital by the police. The brutal attack also injured several police officers and a relative of the assailant. Dr Das’s death, caused by 17 stab wounds, including severe injuries to her chest and lung, marked her as the first healthcare professional to be murdered in Kerala.

In response to this horrific event, the Kerala government enacted an ordinance to amend the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2012. This legislation introduced biannual security audits for hospitals and mandated several safety measures, including the installation of police outposts and closed-circuit cameras. Despite these efforts, there remain significant concerns about the effective implementation of these measures and ongoing security gaps in hospitals.