We are pretty sure that this isn’t a comprehensive list. Bringing together ALL the stories of doctors getting assaulted by irate relatives of patients etc. in the year so far would probably give our staff writer a serious case of depression. For there are so many grim instances that have materialized in the year that’s still only half past.

Nonetheless, this list is representative of the never-ending parade of assaults which casts shame on the entire society. Hopefully, the authorities are taking note. Or is that too much to hope? It probably is, isn’t it?

Night shift, bad shift(Kolkata, Jan 9)

A night shift team who worked in the RG Kar Medial Coollege and Hospital in Kolkata had it bad on the night of January 9. For they were allegedly assaulted by neighbours and relatives of a patient who passed away in the hospital.
As a result of the attack, the junior doctors in the hospital went on a strike demanding arrest of those involve in the assault and also increased security in the emergency ward.

Non-aamchi Mumbai!(Mumbai, March 31)

Mumbai. The city of dreams. And nightmares, especially if you are a doctor, or so it seems.

Dr. Nihar Desiat is a first-year resident at the Sion hospital. A patient suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy died in the hospital. The very next day, a mob of 10 to 15 people assaulted him, claiming negligence on his part.

Lack of adequate security has been cited as one of the reasons for such attacks.Must be hard to consider Mumbai as ‘aamchi’ under such circumstances, we think.

Finally, it’s time for firearm licence to all doctors!(Maharashtra, April 29)

A junior resident doctor in a Nanded hospital was assaulted by three individuals. This prompted the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors(MARD) to write a letter to the Chief Minister, demanding immediate provision of firearm license to all doctors.

The attack on a pregnant lady doctor(Kerala, May 16)

When a 9 month old pregnant woman died in the Kottarakkara Government Hospital in Kerala, her relatives claimed that the patient-who was in perfect heath died because of a lapse on the doctor’s part. They attacked the doctor who was herself pregnant at the time.

Condemning such attacks which are on the rise in Kerala as well, the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association(KGMOA) and the Indian Medical Association(IMA) both demanded that medical professionals be given adequate protection in all hospitals.

Ultra violence for ultra sound (Noida, May 17)

A doctor of a Noida hospital was brutally assaulted by the patient’s attendees apparently because the doctor advised an ultra sound scan. Being dragged out of the hospital, he was thrashed in a manner not befitting a human, or any living being for that matter. The incident was caught on camera so many got to watch it and be enraged.

They clashed but the doctors got beaten( Kolkata, June 5)

An old rivalry resulted in people clashing against each other in Narkeldanga in Kolkata. People involved in the clash were rushed to the NRS College and Hospital after they were injured. One of them was declared as brought dead by the hospital. This made the his family members angry-angry enough that they manhandled four doctors.

Beaten up, locked up(Odisha, June 13)

Jajpur is a small district in Odisha which many in India have not heard about. This is probably not the way to get to know about the place. But then, it is what happened- a pregnant woman died in the Jajpur district headquarters hospital after childbirth. Following this, the relatives of the deceased woman beat up the doctor and locked him up inside a room in the hospital.

The family that assaults together stays together? (Kolkata, June 22)

At least four members of a family expressed their solidarity in an unusual manner when they assaulted junior doctor , Abhishek Singh of the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata. The assault took place claiming that there was medical negligence in treating a child of the family. But the total number or people who were involved in the assault was around 30, according to news reports.

Attacked by ..umm…. a priest(Puri, June 23)

India is one country where a lot of weird things happen, but we think that a priest assaulting a doctor is rare even for the subcontinent. It happened at the Puri district headquarters hospital on the night of June 23. Premananda Dasmohapatra is a senior servitor and member of the Sree Jagannath Temple managing committee.

He came into the hospital with his relatives seeking treatment for his 5 year old grand-daughter. The doctor, Dr. Khirod Chandra Pal, advised him to procure a ticket from the hospital counter. Dasmohapatra found this offensive and reacted angrily, asking for the phone number of the chief medical officer. When the doctor refused to comply, he was attacked with a chair.

Business as usual-another doctor assaulted(Odisha,July 3)

The attack on the doctor at the Odisha district hospital happened when a patient- a youth named Akshaya Kumar Swain who was brought into the hospital in a critical condition expired at the hospital. The relatives of the patient claimed negligence. The doctors of the hospital ceased from work for a while to protest over the incident. If that sounds like an awfully familiar storyline, that’s because it is.

Bonus material: Assault by cops(Thane,March 3)

Apparently, it’s not just relatives of patients who can get into a violent groove without forewarning. Take the case of Dr Madhukar Rathod(38) who works in a hospital in Thane. When his colleagues brought to his attention that the land which belongs to the hospital has been encroached, he went to the police station to report the same. As the doctor related to the online news channel, DNA India, all he did was ask them to take the appropriate action. Only, the cops manhandled the doctor even as his colleagues tried to prevent it. This, in full view of the CCTV camera.

It’s kinda tempting to hope for a better latter half of the year. After all, it’s very hard to go through your busy schedule looking over your shoulder, wondering when an arm, or a firearm looms up.

But for these kinds of assault to stop, more security as well as educating the public about the constraints of the medical professionals are the need of the hour. Unless the authorities do something along those lines, it’s a calendar of bad events for the Indian doctor.

Image credits: Hindustan Times
Images may be indicative

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