BENGALURU: The staffers at Dr. B R Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital walked out in protest on Friday after the family members of a deceased patient attacked the doctors and nurses.
The patient's family reportedly demanded the case sheet and blamed the doctors for the death.
Dr. Muniraju, the medical superintendent, said the patient's attendants physically assaulted the doctors, nurses, and nursing students.
"They said they wanted the case sheet. Giving the case sheet to the patient's kin is against the rules. We said we can give a copy once they finish the procedures with the deceased person. They wanted to check what injections and medicines were used and blamed the doctors on duty for the death. They physically assaulted the staff, pushed the tables, and also permanently damaged the ventilator," said Dr. Muniraju, adding that the doctors, nurses walked out after that and refused to return.
The hospital staff fears that such an incident could take place again with the rise in Covid deaths. They are yet to complain to the police. After a gap of a few hours, alternative staff was arranged to attend to the patients.
Another doctor said attendants of eight to ten patients were present when the patient collapsed soon after getting admitted to the hospital.
"They used foul language and assaulted the lady doctors as well. These are young doctors who have come to save lives and now they are scared. We called the security later to put an end to the incident.
"Most of the Covid cases start with no symptom, the patients die after symptoms worsen. This is leading to an increase in deaths," said the doctor.
The patients were left unattended for around 5 hours in the Covid ward as the alternative doctors took time to join the duty.
One Chandan Kumar, whose wife was admitted in the ICU with oxygen saturation levels as low as 70, said she was not given water, food, or saline in the morning.
"After the fight, the doctors left the building and there was no one to attend to my wife. I waited for an hour and only saw 2-3 staffers who were of no help. There were two bodies lying uncovered. After five hours, another doctor came and attended to my wife. It was only then that I was informed that a wire in the ventilator was not working," said Kumar, who rushed to the pharmacy to purchase a replacement.
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