Abusive Words Used at Wenlock Hospital by Friend of Accident Victim, Case Filed
Mangaluru: Just as the Health Care industry and the nation is shocked by the bizarre incident that took place at the NRC College and Hospital, in Kolkota, West Bengal where a junior doctor was attacked with sharp weapons by the kith and kin of a patient who died, whom the family members allege that it was medical negligence- now following close on its heels a unruly incident took place during the wee hours of Monday, 17 June at Govt Wenlock Hospital, Mangaluru.
As per hospital sources, an accident victim was brought to Wenlock hospital at 3.30 am on Monday, 17 June and the hospital staff on duty quickly attended on the victim, the best they could, and they were waiting for the ambulance to arrive to shift the injured victim to a private hospital in the City. In the meantime, one of the victim’s friend losing his temper and getting wild, started abusing the doctors and other health care staff with foul language (local Tulu language, as heard on Video), and even raised his voice blaming Govt Wenlock Hospital for negligence and delay in treating the victim properly, where he is heard saying it took an hour by the hospital caretakers to treat the victim.
Now it is learnt that the Medical officer at Wenlock Hospital who filed a complaint with the police commissioner of the unruly behaviour and abusive language used by the victim’s friend, and Police Commissioner Sandeep Patil acting quick has directed the concerned police officer to initiate action.
A case has been registered in this regard in the Mangaluru South Police Station under section 504 IPC and 3, 4 of Karnataka Prohibition of Violence against Medicare Service Personnel and damage to property in Medicare Service Institution Act. Police are investigating the case, and trying to find the person who created ruckus at the Wenlock Hospital.
Just what Dr Sachinanand Rai- President and Dr Sudhindra Rao M- President and Hon Secretary of IMA-Mangaluru Chapter respectively said, speaking to Team Mangalorean this morning that “National Law against violence on hospitals has to be brought in urgently. To ensure that the cases are registered, culprits are arrested and conviction is necessitated, appropriate mandatory provisions as provided in the POCSO act has to be instituted. Hospitals should be declared as special zones and the provision of appropriate security should be the responsibility of the state. It has been observed that the increase in violence will adversely affect the public health at large”.
“Not only the patients undergoing the treatment in the institution facing violence will be directly affected but also there are lot of indirect consequences. Institutions will be reluctant to take up complicated and risky patients which will affect public health at large. The threat of violence increases the stress levels of health care workers. Sound judgment regarding patient care will be compromised in such situations”- I think even Mangaluru also needs such law as quickly as possible, because incident which happened at Wenlock Hospital, may happen again with some other persons bringing their loved one or friends for treatment- and get unruly and use abusive language, or may even attack the health care personnel on duty. The action of the government and law enforcement officials is very much needed as early as possible so that the doctors and other health care staff can do their duties without fear of hooligans.