Fresh incident of assault on doctors in Kolkata 

According to the resident doctors, police arrived half an hour after the doctors’ SOS call despite a newly started police outpost within the hospital premises. 

A week after West Bengal’s junior doctors called off their ceasework strike demanding justice and safety, violence erupted in the State-run College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital (CMSDH) in Kolkata’s Kamarhati on Friday (September 27, 2024) after relatives of a 30-year-old patient allegedly attacked on-duty healthcare workers after the patient died.

Local police has so far arrested four people to this effect. 

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On Saturday (September 28, 2024) morning, nursing staff carried out protests and chanted slogans outside the office of the college’s medical superintendent and vice principal demanding the speedy implementation of tightened security measures.

According to the Resident Doctors’ Association of CMSDH, the patient was admitted to the female medicine ward of the hospital with a fever of unknown origin and loose motion for the last five days. Despite on-duty junior doctors starting immediate treatment, the patient’s condition started deteriorating suddenly at around 5.30 p.m.

“Despite much effort and prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation, she could not be saved. Then a mob of about 20-25 people suddenly entered the female ward and attacked the on-call interns, house staffs and postgraduate trainees,” the hospital’s resident doctors said. 

They further alleged that female doctors were verbally and physically manhandled. “When the male PGT from the neighbouring ward came to their rescue, he too faced their attack,” they added. 

According to the resident doctors, police arrived half an hour after the doctors’ SOS call despite a newly started police outpost within the hospital premises. 

Increased safety provisions in hospitals and medical colleges, including CCTV cameras, panic button in on-call rooms etc were one of the key demands of the agitating junior doctors of the State, whose protests have completed 50 days since a female doctor was raped and murdered on duty at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.  

Published - September 28, 2024 02:18 pm IST