HYDERABAD: Junior doctors at Gandhi hospital went on a flash strike on Wednesday after three of their colleagues were attacked by the attendants of a deceased person at Gandhi Hospital on Tuesday midnight which caused nose fracture to one of the doctors.The Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) Gandhi Unit boycotted elective services including pre-scheduled surgeries and staged protest demanding security to be enhanced. Patients at Casualty Ward suffered from delayed treatment.
Junior doctors protested from Wednesday morning condemning the attack on doctors before the closed doors of In-Patient ward. Police rushed in to control the situation. In fact, situation became tense at around 12.30 pm when more than 100 junior doctors were raising slogans at entrance of In-Patient building demanding justice.The agitated relatives of the deceased person ran towards the doctors questioning why the dead body was not handed over to them. The family members were soon taken away from there and the body was handed over to them at around 1.30 pm.
Doctors said that Md Chunnu Miya (68) was brought from a private hospital to Gandhi Hospital in an emergency condition. However, soon after his death at around 3.30 am, his sons and other relatives beat up three junior doctors Dr Pranav Hinduja, Dr Muzzamil Nayeem and Dr Anusha. The incident was recorded in the CCTV camera and footage was checked by police.
While two of them received blunt injuries, Dr Pranav’s nose got fractured. Gopalapuram ACP K Srinivas Rao said that cases were booked against Md Ghouse, Md Aju and five others, under IPC Section 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 448 (punishment for house-tresspass), and under Telangana Medical Service Persons and Medicare Service Institution (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2008.
Hospital services impacted
Though junior doctors boycotted only elective services from Wednesday morning, emergency services too were impacted at Gandhi Hospital. The junior doctors play a key role in delivering Out-Patient, In-Patient and Emergency Medical services at the hospital. With them going on protest, Out-Patient services came to a halt and In-Patient was impacted too. Besides, Wednesday being a public holiday on the occasion of Bathukamma, professors and assistant professors were not present in full strength.While In-Patient and Out-Patient was shut barring emergency cases, patients at Casualty Ward too were impacted. Attendants of a patient from Budwel, Hyderabad, said that thought initial treatment was provided, further procedures were delayed by more than three hours.
“Our patient suffered from a shock and we brought him to Gandhi Hospital at around 10 am. Though some treatment was provided initially, further treatment was delayed,” said an attendant.
It was learnt that on request, two junior doctors agreed to attend emergency cases at the casualty ward. Elective surgeries, which are pre-scheduled, were postponed too. Another patient in the Emergency section said that they were here to get checked for problems related to urinary system, but no one has attended them for two hours.
‘Stringent action against people who attack doctors’
Health minister Dr C Laxma Reddy said they will take strict action, according to law, against those who indulge in any form of violence against doctors. The minister instructed officials of Health and Family Welfare department to enhance security, install more CCTVs at hospital so that the incidents can be avoided.Junior doctors said that some patients are accompanied by around 10 attendants which causes a problem. The issue was cited by the Health minister too as a reason for inconvenience, and he urged everybody to cooperate in this issue. The attack on the three junior doctors was explained to the Health minister by representatives of JUDAs and the hospital authorities. On the occasion, the JUDAs requested the minister to address the problem of dearth of staff at the hospital.
Elective services will be boycotted on Thursday too
Elective services including pre-scheduled surgeries will be boycotted by junior doctors at least till Thursday afternoon. JUDA Gandhi Hospital unit are going to continue the protest until they meet he superintendent of the hospital Dr P Shravan Kumar on Thursday.Junior doctors and senior resident doctors who took part in meeting with the Health minister said that though the minister assured steps will be taken, Dr Laxma Reddy directed JUDAs to meet hospital superintendent.President of the JUDAs (Gandhi Unit) Dr Kiran Rathod, said the strike is set to continue. “Superintendent of the hospital will hold inter-department meeting on Thursday afternoon. A call on protest will be done after the meeting,” vice president of JUDAs (Gandhi unit) Dr Nagarjuna said.
Similar issue reported at OGH in third week of June
A similar issue was reported at Osmania General Hospital on July third week when three junior doctors were attacked by attendants of patient after she died. JUDAs-OGH unit called off their strike after assurances were given to them that security would be enhanced. However, junior doctors there said that while a new agency was given contract for security, it is the same untrained security personnel who guard gates at OGH.