Fresh protests erupted among junior doctors, and nurses of the State-run College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital (CMSDH) in Kamarhati in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas after relatives of a patient attacked on-duty doctors and hospital staff on Friday following the death of the patient.
“We arrested four people on Friday. We have also procured CCTV footage from the hospital premises. We will flag other suspects from CCTV visuals and arrest them,” Barrackpore Police Commissioner Alok Rajoria said on Saturday during his visit to the CMSDH.
Also read | Rethinking violence in healthcare
Junior doctors at the CMSDH called a strike on Friday night. They chanted slogans demanding the speedy implementation of tightened security measures, and said they did not feel safe. Doctors and nurses alleged that after the patient was declared dead, the bereaved family attacked and injured doctors, trainees, and nurses who had attended to the patient.
“They threw utensils at us, they dragged doctors by their hands, and manhandled female staff. Women doctors had to flee and lock themselves in a room to escape,” one of the protesting junior doctors at the CMSDH said on Saturday.
Junior doctors further alleged that the police did not intervene on time and arrived half an hour after the doctors’ call for help, despite a newly set up police outpost within the hospital’s premises.
“The patient was severely sick for the last five days and was in poor condition when she was admitted on Friday. Our doctors and nurses did their best. There was no medical negligence here,” the Medical Superintendent and Vice Principal of the CMSDH, Sujay Mistri, said.
The development comes less than two months of the rape and murder of a junior doctor on duty at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) in Kolkata on August 9, which sparked State-wide protests by healthcare workers and citizens.
On September 21, agitating junior doctors across the State ended their month-long protests and resumed emergency services following the announcement of directives for their safety by the State government.
However, on Saturday, junior doctors and nurses of the CMSDH engaged in fresh protests at the hospital premises, chanting slogans to demand the speedy implementation of tightened security measures.
A meeting took place between the police, Health Department officials, and a delegation of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front. “More police personnel will be deployed here from today. Installation of 250 CCTV cameras has started today itself. Restrooms and other provisions are also being worked on,” State Principal Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam said on Saturday. He added that junior doctors, nurses and faculty members of the medical college had also been consulted in this regard.
According to the Resident Doctors’ Association of the CMSDH, the patient was admitted to the female medicine ward of the hospital on Friday afternoon with a fever of unknown origin and dysentery for the previous five days. Despite on-duty staff commencing treatment immediately, the patient’s condition deteriorated suddenly at around 5.30 pm.
“Despite much effort and prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation, she could not be saved. Then, a mob of about 15-20 people suddenly entered the female ward and attacked the on-call interns, house staff and postgraduate trainees,” the hospital’s resident doctors said.
They further alleged that female doctors had been verbally and physically manhandled. “When the male PGT (post graduate trainee) from the neighbouring ward came to their rescue, he too faced their attack,” they added.
Increased safety provisions in hospitals and medical colleges, including CCTV cameras, panic buttons in on-call rooms, etc., were among the key demands of junior doctors following the RGKMCH incident.
“Around a week back, we had discussed the detailed list of security provisions with the Chief Secretary that we, as healthcare workers, need in all medical colleges and hospitals in the State. Why aren’t these steps being implemented by the State administration even now?” Aniket Mahato, a junior doctor at the forefront of the RGKMCH protests, asked.
Dr. Mahato said that if these security issues persisted and were not resolved at the earliest, junior doctors across the State may be impelled to strike again.
Published - September 28, 2024 02:18 pm IST
