HYDERABAD: Around 250 junior doctors at the state-run Gandhi Hospital here today boycotted elective duties and held a protest condemning the alleged attack by attendants of a patient on a house surgeon in the early hours.
According to the protesting doctors, the attendants of a 70-year-old patient, suffering from kidney ailment, who had died at around 3.30 am at the hospital during medical tests, assaulted a duty house surgeon and beat him up accusing him of "killing" the elderly man.
The protesting doctors held placards like 'We condemn attack on doctors' and demonstrated in the hospital premises demanding that the government immediately look into the matter.
"There is no proper security. This is not the first incident of attack on doctors by attendants of patients. We want deployment of Special Protection Force (SPF) personnel and installation of CCTV cameras. Those who attacked the duty surgeon should be immediately punished," they demanded.
"The patient was initially admitted to Gandhi Hospital at around 11.30 pm yesterday and the medical staff provided him treatment. But, his attendants took him to a private hospital where he was administered some injections.
"Apparently in view of high medical charges at the private hospital, the patient was again brought back to Gandhi Hospital at around 3.30 am and when he was taken for some tests he died. The patient was very sick," Gandhi Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr P Shravan Kumar told PTI.
Suddenly the attendants of the patient beat up the duty surgeon and condemning this around 250 junior doctors resorted to protest by boycotting elective duties.
Emergency services at the hospital were not hit. "We are hopeful the protesting doctors will resume duties tomorrow," the Superintendent said.