As part of efforts to create safe working conditions for health workers, Code Grey protocol will be implemented in all hospitals, Health Minister Veena George has said.
She was inaugurating a children’s HDU (High Dependency Unit) oxygen ward at Government Victoria Hospital and a hub-and-spoke model microbiology lab at District Hospital.
“Attacks on health-care professionals will not be tolerated and legal protection including maximum penalty and imprisonment will be ensured to prevent such incidents. The protocol involves extensive procedures to prevent and manage violence. An emergency warning system will also be part of it and at present, safety audits are being conducted in hospitals for this,” she said.
Ms George added that there had been a significant drop in the number of people dying due to cardiac issues in Kerala. “Cathlabs have been set up in hospitals in 11 districts and more heart surgeries are being conducted through the Hridyam scheme. Such decentralised treatment facilities further improves the health-care system of the State. Since 70% of the people in Kerala depend on government hospitals, the objective of the government is to give priority and better treatment to the economically backward,” said the Minister, who added that talks were on to start IVF labs for infertility treatment in four districts of the State including Kollam.
While the children’s HDU oxygen ward was set up at a cost of ₹35.23 lakh, the hub-and-spoke model microbiology lab at District Hospital was set up spending ₹16.7 lakh. Samples collected at other hospitals in the district can be transported to District Hospital for testing.
M. Mukesh, MLA, presided over the function while district panchayat president P.K. Gopan, vice president Sreeja Harish, District Medical Officer (Health) K.S. Shinu, District Hospital superintendent D. Vasantadas, Victoria Hospital superintendent V. Krishnaveni, and National Health Mission district programme manager Dev Kiran, were present.
