The Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Amendment Bill, 2023, was passed by the Assembly on Monday without further discussion.
The Bill, when it was presented in the House in August, was sent to the subject committee after several members raised apprehension that in protecting the rights of health-care workers, patient rights had not been given much attention and that the law could turn out to be one-sided.
Thus, by general agreement, the clause in the Bill that verbal abuse against a health-care worker can invite simple imprisonment of up to three months or a fine of up to ₹10,000 or both was struck down as it was deemed that the said provision could be misused to suit vested interests.
