Delhi doctor ‘slapped, abused’ at hospital days after protest on security
Days after the central government ordered all hospitals under it to review security protocols and increase their security force by up to 25%, a resident doctor and a medical dresser were allegedly physically assaulted by a patient’s attendant in Delhi.
The incident took place at Doctor Hedgewar Hospital in Karkardooma on late Saturday night, according to the PTI.
The doctor, who requested anonymity, told the news agency that he was attacked while he was providing critical care to the patient. He also said that the patient was intoxicated.
“Late Saturday night, around 1am, a patient with a forehead injury was brought to the hospital. I took him to the dressing room to stitch the wound. After I finished the first stitch and was working on the second, the patient suddenly pushed me and began hurling abuses,” the doctor said.
“His son, who was outside the room, came in, slapped me and they both started abusing me further.”
The incident comes days after resident doctors across the country returned to work on August 24 following an 11-day nationwide strike over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata.
The strike had severely disrupted non-emergency services, including OPD and diagnostics, at major central and Delhi government hospitals.
The strike ended after the Supreme Court appealed and the government assured them it would address their concerns, including their demand for better safety norms at their workplaces.
The apex court also constituted a 10-member National Task Force to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of medics. The task force will submit its interim report within three weeks and the final report within two months.
Centre’s direction on safety of doctors
On August 19, the Union health ministry allowed the deployment of Marshalls in Central government hospitals for immediate security-related assistance.
“There will be a 25% increase in security personnel in all Central Government Hospitals. Deployment of Marshalls in central government hospitals for immediate security-related assistance would also be approved based on individual demands from central govt hospitals.” Union health secretary Apurva Chandra had said.
In April 2020, the government brought an ordinance to protect health care workers from attacks. Attacking a medical professional became punishable with up to seven years in prison with the ordinance — these provisions lapsed once the pandemic was over.