Mangaluru Association of Medical Consultants supports police action inside Hospital
Says those who were in the hospital were 'anti-social elements'
Mangaluru : Association of Medical Consultants, Mangalore (AMC) has sided with the local police in the city after Indian Medical Association (IMA) condemned the incident wherein the police barged into a local hospital on December 19 and ransacked the corridors of the hospital including the door of an ICU.
Dr. Santanu Sen, National President of IMA, issued a press release on Sunday condemning the incidents of police action and reports of denial of access to medical care to the injured protesters. The press release mentioned that the police barged into the ICU, clearly indicating the release was in reference to the incident reported from a hospital in Mangaluru.
The press release from the IMA asserted that it was a “new low in civic life of the nation” and “a clear indication of the new truth and the new standards”.
“IMA stands up for retaining hospitals as safe zones. All violence are unacceptable especially those perpetrated by the State on the people who require medical attention and care. Everyone should feel comfortable in the hands that heal. Indian Doctors will never let down whoever requires care. No politics can dilute this resolve” the press statement from IMA headquarters had stated.
Although the media release did not name Highland Hospital and the December 19 incident of Mangaluru at the Highland Hospital, it mentioned the barging of police department in ICU clearly indicating it’s reference to the Highland Hospital incident. CCTV footage of Highland hospital was doing rounds on social media platforms from Thursday showing police barging into hospital and trying to break open the door of ICU.
AMC in a press release rejected the reports and added that it was unacceptable as the release by National IMA from Delhi condemned the incidents of violence in general across the country and not any specific incident.
“Very surprising is a reference in the news reports, to such a specific incident in Highland Hospital Mangalore on December 19, even though the media release by National IMA from Delhi condemned the incidents of violence in general across the country and not any specific incident” AMC’s press statement stated.
“AMC Mangalore, condemns any violence means of protest, including those from within Highland Hospital during the said incident and violent attacks on a police station in the city earlier in the day, which eventually resulted in a tense situation leading to curfew. These misguided anti-social elements resorting to violence against the police are often the same people who create nuisances in the Hospital and interference in duty of Doctors for providing medical treatment” it further added.
The Association also sided with the police’s version of the story and added police entered the hospital to tackle 'miscreants who create Law and Order issues on the street but had entered hospital to hide'. It also denied reports claiming police action amounted to a denial of healthcare access to the needy.
“We Doctors often take help of police when there are incidents of abuse/violence in Hospitals and police have promptly brought the situation under control. How is it any different when the same police enter the hospital to tackle miscreants who create Law and Order issues on the street but had entered hospital to hide? We strongly deny any allegation that police actions amount to denial of healthcare access to the needy. In fact, on our inquiry at the incident site, no interference was reported. To further condemn the violence by police personnel on patients by the media reports, is highly unacceptable, as nothing close to this has happened at all. There is no complaint either by the hospital owners, Doctors” the release added.
Dr. Yusuf Kumble, noted cardiologist of the city and MD of Indiana Hospital Mangaluru, who is also an executive committee member of AMC differed with the view and facts expressed by the association and claimed that the committee was not considered before issuing the press release.
Dr. Yusuf Kumble, when contacted by Vartha Bharati voiced his dissent over the press release and added the press release over the issue was not right. He also claimed he was not consulted before issuing the press statement.
Dr. Kumble also noted that he has brought his views and differences over the statement to the notice of the association while also adding that he does not deny the police atrocities at the highland hospital on December 19.
“There are enough evidence to establish the fact that the police barged into the hospital and ransacked the corridors and ICU. There is no denial that the police carried atrocities inside hospital premises. We as a body cannot decide if those present in the hospital when police barged in, were anti-social elements” Dr. Kumble told Vartha Bharati.
Dr. Kumble further added that the body cannot zero-in on people and label them as 'those who often create nuisances at the hospitals'.
“We cannot point at people and say these are the people who often creates nuisances at the hospitals. We also cannot side with the police and say whatever they did was right, we cannot give clean chit to the personnel for what they did on December 19, evening. An inquiry into the matter will reveal details and facts about the incident and it is the job of judiciary to give clean chit to the cops, not us. I have brought all these points to the notice of the association” Dr. Kumble added.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
