Junior doctors continue 'cease work' protest after assault by patient's relative

KOLKATA: Junior doctors and nurses continued their 'cease work' agitation at state-run Sagar Dutta Hospital in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Saturday in protest against assault on staffers by the relatives of a patient. The staffers of the hospital located in Kamarhati near Kolkata launched the 'cease work' protest late on Friday after some of them were allegedly beaten up by the relatives of the patient who died during treatment.

Three junior doctors along with three nurses and healthcare workers were injured in the incident, a junior doctor said. The junior doctors and nurses subsequently called for a 'cease work' stir demanding better security arrangements. The condition of the patient, a middle-aged woman who suffered from acute breathing problems, was critical, he said.

"The patient was admitted to the hospital on Friday with breathing difficulties. Her condition was not good and healthcare workers attempted to administer oxygen but it was too late and she died. But her family members alleged she did not receive any medical treatment," a nurse said. Nurses said that despite the presence of policemen, 15-20 members of the patient's family entered the female medicine ward and assaulted the doctors and nurses attending to the patients.

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"We have been repeatedly demanding proper security in the outpatient department and hospital wards. But the incident proves that the state administration is yet to wake up to our demand for safety. Till our demands for adequate safety are met, the 'cease work' will continue," the junior doctor said. A senior official of Barrackpore Police Commissionerate said the hospital administration has lodged a complaint with Kamarhati Police Station and an investigation is underway.

He said security on the hospital compound has been intensified following the incident and a police patrol was keeping vigil near the hospital main gate. West Bengal Junior Doctors' Forum member Aniket Mahato said, "We had earlier raised concerns about security. Unless the government takes proactive steps, such incidents will continue to occur."