Medical fraternity at Gandhi Hospital were agitated after COVID-19 patients, family members of another patient who died, allegedly assaulted a junior doctor on the seventh floor of the hospital on Wednesday evening. Hyderabad police have registered a case against those who misbehaved with the hospital staff.
Four members from a family, including a woman, were admitted in the isolation ward of the hospital and all of them tested positive for coronavirus. One among them, a 49-year-old patient, died on Wednesday evening. Telangana Junior Doctors Association members alleged that two male family members attacked a general medicine junior doctor, blaming doctors for the death.
“One of the patients, an old man, was in a critical condition in the last two days. We had informed his two family members about his condition but they did not give us permission to intubate (to provide oxygen) the patient. After he died, the two family members slapped the doctor and assaulted security guard,” said a junior doctor from the hospital.
Soon after the incident on Wednesday evening, junior doctors gathered at the entrance of the main building in protest. Senior officials from the police and Health department visited the hospital to bring the situation under control.
“Despite multiple appeals, the COVID-19 patients came out of their ward and started walking around. The junior doctors in their mid 20s are putting their lives at risk by attending to patients. People have to understand the kind of efforts that are put in by the doctors, nurses, and other staff,” said an official.
Condemning the assault on doctors, Health Minister Eatala Rajender said strict action would be taken against the attackers. “Doctors are working round the clock. The government will provide all support. Measures will be taken to ensure that such situation does not arise again,” Mr Rajender said.
Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy said the Police department will beef up security immediately and take all necessary measures to provide protection to all the doctors and para medics treating COVID-19 patients.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) A Bhaskar overall in-charge of the security will be assisted by additional DCP S Srinivas Rao and Task Force.
