As many as 500 doctors from ESI Hospital, Rajajinagar, staged a protest during lunch hour on Tuesday after a colleague was roughed up by a patient’s family the previous day for alleged delay in treatment. The attack on the attending doctor makes it the seventh such incident in the State this year.
On Monday, 60-year-old Somashekar was admitted to ESI Hospital after he complained of breathlessness.
The casualty medical officer on duty, Dr. Madhusoodhan, after diagnosing him with bronchial asthma, started him on nebulization, and went on to attend other patients. This enraged Somashekar’s family members, who started to argue with the doctor. According to the police, the group started abusing him and began to physically assault him.
“They slapped him, and tore his coat and shirt. They then took their father out of the hospital after removing the nebulization, which was risky,” said Dr. Jitendra Kumar, dean of ESI Hospital.
Dr. Madhusoodhan collapsed in shock and was admitted in the hospital. He is still being treated for injuries and shock.
A senior doctor informed the police of the incident, but by the time they arrived, the family had left the hospital.
The police tracked the family to their house in K.R. Puram, and on Tuesday arrested Puneet, 26, and Poonam, 26, children of the patient.
