Mob Attack at Safdarjung Hospital Emergency Room; FORDA demand Protection
New Delhi: Condemning the recent episode of brutal assault whereby the doctors and the security deployed at Safdarjung Hospital Emergency Room (ER) were assaulted by a mob; the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) has written to the Union Minister of Home Affairs requesting for immediate action against the attackers.
The doctors are demanding an immediate intervention to apprehend the perpetrators of law from the Safdarjung Hospital ER assault and strict action against DCP for dereliction of duty. The doctors have urged the government to make adequate security arrangements at the institute as well to prevent such incidences in future.
According to the doctors, the ER was barged by a mob accompanying a Head injury patient, the patient was attended without any delay and treatment was initiated as per protocols. The inebriated attendant paying no regards to the ER protocols attempted to enter the ER in large numbers. On being politely requested by security deployed to decongest the ER entrance and only permitted a few attendants to accompany the patient. Angered by this the attendants gathered more than 20-30 people who tried to barge into the patient area. Accordingly, the security personnel, to avert any danger, took preventive measures and blocked few of the gates.
The attendants then allegedly started pelting stones and hurling abuses at them. Further, they misbehaved with the doctors and manhandled them. After creating the ruckus, the mob started ransacking the hospital property; when resisted, they assaulted the security personnel and beat them mercilessly with lathis.
Following the incident, the hospital authorities filed an FIR against the attackers.
In a communiqué to Medical Dialogues, FORDA pointed towards the rampant assault cases where doctors are made the scapegoat by infuriated patients and their attendants.
"That’s how the deployed security and doctors are facing while trying to discharge their duties. ... The ongoing agitation happening as a result of its repercussion is an apt action and is justified. Resident doctors have to incur the wrath of aggressive attendees 2on a daily basis. We residents doctors are outraged, appalled, and anguished by the barbaric acts of violence. We are torn by this great tragedy, express our outrage and condemnation of this ferocious act driven by enmity against resident doctors in SJH, we strongly condemn and denounce any form of violence with doctors and healthcare-associated staff," FORDA stated in its letter to the Union Minister of Home Affairs.
The FORDA President, Dr Manish Nigam asserted, "Our main concern is a fathomable degree of the ruthlessness of the general population against doctors; vindictive and personal hatred for the medicos that is baseless and is propagating day by day amongst people. We have the highest appreciation for our colleagues who are defying such horrible working conditions. While condemning the assault in the strongest terms, FORDA expresses its solidarity with the victims and urges upon the Union minister of Home affairs and competent authorities to take immediate measures to apprehend the perpetrators of such heinous crimes and ensure that expeditious justice is meted out to them as per the law."
"It is also requested to transfer the concerned DCP from failing to act and safeguard lives of young doctors, security personnel and patient dependent on medical care. High-level enquiry should be conducted to establish dereliction of duty by the concerned police officer and letting the heinous crime happen," FORDA added in its letter.
Last month, Medical Dialogues had reported that 2 resident doctors were brutally assaulted over a patient’s death who was on a ventilator.
Read Also: Safdarjung Hospital: 1600 doctors go on an indefinite strike after assault on Colleagues
The doctors are demanding an immediate intervention to apprehend the perpetrators of law from the Safdarjung Hospital ER assault and strict action against DCP for dereliction of duty. The doctors have urged the government to make adequate security arrangements at the institute as well to prevent such incidences in future.
According to the doctors, the ER was barged by a mob accompanying a Head injury patient, the patient was attended without any delay and treatment was initiated as per protocols. The inebriated attendant paying no regards to the ER protocols attempted to enter the ER in large numbers. On being politely requested by security deployed to decongest the ER entrance and only permitted a few attendants to accompany the patient. Angered by this the attendants gathered more than 20-30 people who tried to barge into the patient area. Accordingly, the security personnel, to avert any danger, took preventive measures and blocked few of the gates.
The attendants then allegedly started pelting stones and hurling abuses at them. Further, they misbehaved with the doctors and manhandled them. After creating the ruckus, the mob started ransacking the hospital property; when resisted, they assaulted the security personnel and beat them mercilessly with lathis.
Following the incident, the hospital authorities filed an FIR against the attackers.
In a communiqué to Medical Dialogues, FORDA pointed towards the rampant assault cases where doctors are made the scapegoat by infuriated patients and their attendants.
"That’s how the deployed security and doctors are facing while trying to discharge their duties. ... The ongoing agitation happening as a result of its repercussion is an apt action and is justified. Resident doctors have to incur the wrath of aggressive attendees 2on a daily basis. We residents doctors are outraged, appalled, and anguished by the barbaric acts of violence. We are torn by this great tragedy, express our outrage and condemnation of this ferocious act driven by enmity against resident doctors in SJH, we strongly condemn and denounce any form of violence with doctors and healthcare-associated staff," FORDA stated in its letter to the Union Minister of Home Affairs.
The FORDA President, Dr Manish Nigam asserted, "Our main concern is a fathomable degree of the ruthlessness of the general population against doctors; vindictive and personal hatred for the medicos that is baseless and is propagating day by day amongst people. We have the highest appreciation for our colleagues who are defying such horrible working conditions. While condemning the assault in the strongest terms, FORDA expresses its solidarity with the victims and urges upon the Union minister of Home affairs and competent authorities to take immediate measures to apprehend the perpetrators of such heinous crimes and ensure that expeditious justice is meted out to them as per the law."
"It is also requested to transfer the concerned DCP from failing to act and safeguard lives of young doctors, security personnel and patient dependent on medical care. High-level enquiry should be conducted to establish dereliction of duty by the concerned police officer and letting the heinous crime happen," FORDA added in its letter.
FORDA Demands Strict action against the police officer letting the assault at SJH&VMMC ER Happen.
sabotaging the security of doctors, security personnel and patients receiving medical care at SJH. pic.twitter.com/miC7u9Ydjo
— NMSF_FORDA (@NMSF3) September 19, 2019
Last month, Medical Dialogues had reported that 2 resident doctors were brutally assaulted over a patient’s death who was on a ventilator.
Read Also: Safdarjung Hospital: 1600 doctors go on an indefinite strike after assault on Colleagues
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