Ghaziabad District Hospital staff hold sit-in protest Over Parking Dispute with Police

Ghaziabad: Tensions erupted at the MMG District Hospital’s emergency department on Tuesday after hospital staff staged a sit-in protest following an alleged altercation with police personnel. The confrontation arose when a vehicle blocked the main gate of the emergency ward.

The incident took place around 8:30 AM when a police vehicle, transporting a woman patient from the police line, arrived at the hospital. Upon entering the emergency room, the patient was taken inside for treatment. However, the vehicle remained parked in front of the main gate, obstructing the entrance to the emergency department.

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Speaking to Hindustan Times, Narendra Singh, a staff member said, “When the woman patient went inside the emergency room, I requested the policeman (wearing a tracksuit) to move the vehicle away from the main gate of the emergency to make way for ambulances bringing in patients. The policeman did not budge. As it turned into a verbal altercation on-duty doctor was informed. The doctor called police staff inside, but the latter started shouting at the staff and called other policemen.”

This altercation has prompted the hospital staff to gather outside and stage a sit-in protest, raising slogans against the police.

Dr Rakesh Kumar, the Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of MMG Hospital, confirmed the incident and said the matter was immediately reported to senior police officials.

Kumar explained that the staff on duty had only requested that the police vehicle be moved from in front of the emergency's main gate, which led to the issue. He mentioned that senior police officials were contacted, and upon their arrival, the policemen apologized for their mistake. Kumar also emphasized that despite the protest, the emergency services continued without disruption.

The emergency department at MMG Hospital handles a high volume of patients, with around 100 individuals seeking medical attention daily, most of whom arrive in ambulances or private vehicles. 

Rajesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Ghaziabad city, confirmed that the police vehicle had been parked inappropriately in front of the emergency gate after delivering the patient.

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According to the Hindustan Times, the DCP said, “After the patient went in, the staff in the vehicle parked the Gypsy in front of the gate of the hospital emergency. We intervened, and the issue was resolved later. The erring policeperson was made to understand that it was wrong to park a vehicle in front of the gate. The matter got resolved later.”