Delhi Shocker: Resident Doctors at COVID-19 only LNJP Hospital assaulted, guards stay away for want of PPE

LNJP is one of the main COVID-19 only hospital in the capital.This incident has apparently raised the question on the security of healthcare workers amid the ongoing pandemic situation in the country.

According to Dr Mittal, President of Resident Doctors Association of the hospital, the incident took place on April 14th in the surgical block-5A at around 5:20 p.m. In the letter narrating the ordeal, addressed to the Medical Director of the LNJP Hospital J.C. Passey, Dr Mittal alleged that lapses in security management were observed and safety of on-duty doctors was compromised.

According to the letter, a patient started hurling verbal abuses and passed vulgar comments on a female resident doctor on duty. When objected upon by the accompanying doctor, the patient gathered a large number of other patients admitted in the ward and started threatening the doctors and staff on duty. The health care workers had to rush to the duty room and hide inside while all the time the patient with the mob tried to break open the door

The RDA has alleged that the incident revealed lapses of security at various levels and negligence at several steps. The association said that they called floor in charges, CMO and on-duty security officer several times but no one came. "The security guard and the police officer posted at the surgical block did not respond even after seeing and hearing the security alarm at the fifth floor," said the letter.

The RDA also alleged that the marshals and guards refused to enter the ward as they did not have PPEs supplied to them.

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The association has demanded institutional FIR to be filed immediately against the accused patient, urgent deployment of armed policemen at all the COVID-19 wards, action against the security officer. The association has also demanded letter of explanation and disciplinary action against floor incharges faculty and the CMO.

Meanwhile, showing solidarity to the LNJP resident doctors, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association of India (FORDA) has moved the Ministry of Home Affairs demanding several measures to curb such incidents in future.

"There have been multiple incidents of assault on Doctors in the past and recently, Healthcare professionals and other Corona warriors have been assaulted in various parts of the country. And if these kinds of attacks keep on happening, soon there will be a time when none will be available to offer healthcare services. This particular incident at LNJP Hospital is not an isolated one, Doctors in various parts of the nation have been attacked recently and it is frightening to attend patients in such a scenario," FORDA stated.

Under the current circumstances of violence against doctors, FORDA has put forward the following demands:-

1. All Healthcare Institutions to be provided adequate security and CISF/Hospital Protection Force be deployed at COVID-19 Designated !lanais.

2. To book every incident of attack on Comma warriors under the Prevention of Terrorist Activity (POTA) Act.

3. To conduct an independent inquiry into the matter and take stringent action immediately.

4. Formulation of Quick Response Teams and Disaster Management Teams.

5. Central Protection Act to prevent the assault on healthcare professionals.

6. Special confinement cell for aggressive patients in COVI D-19 hospitals.