Violence at Delhi Hospital: Patient's Attendant attacks On-Duty doctor, Throws Footwear
New Delhi: When the entire medical fraternity across the country has been demanding the Central Protection Act to ensure the safety of doctors at their workplace, another incident of violence against healthcare professionals took place today at Delhi-based Dr. Hedgewar Arogya Sansthan.
A female on-duty senior resident from the Medicine Department was verbally and physically assaulted by the attendant of a 67-year-old patient, who was suffering from hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease and had a Pacemaker, came to Dr. Hedgewar Hospital, Karkardooma emergency with complaints of chest pain and shortness of breath since last three days. The patient was previously undergoing treatment at G B Pant Hospital.
According to the complaint lodged by the doctor to the CMO (a copy of which is with Medical Dialogues team), she was physically assaulted by the patient's attendant in the main casualty, where the attendant threw her footwear on the lady doctor and also verbally abused her.
Sources informed Medical Dialogues the patient was brought to the hospital at around 4 AM today. Due to the condition of the patient, it was not being possible to conduct an ECG. So, after considering the signs and symptoms of the patient and giving initial treatment to stabilize him, the patient was shifted to GTB Hospital in an ambulance along with a Junior Resident doctor.
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As per the sources, the doctors decided to transfer the patient for his benefit as Dr. Hedgewar Arogya Sansthan does not have a cardiac unit. However, by the time the patient reached GTB hospital he had already passed away, even though the patient was given all the possible treatment. Therefore, the patient was once again taken back to Dr. Hedgewar Hospital.
When the doctors were explaining the situation to the patient's attendant, she attacked the doctor. When she tried to leave the spot, the attendant ran behind her and threw her footwear on the lady doctor. The patient's attendant sought to know why the doctors did not treat the patient at Dr. Hedgewar Hospital and shifted her to GTB Hospital. She alleged that this led to the patient's death.
The video of the incident is doing rounds on social media platforms, where the patient's attendant can be seen chasing the lady doctor and attacking her. However, no institutional FIR has been lodged in this regard yet, sources at the hospital informed Medical Dialogues, on the condition of anonymity.
