**Balasore/Bhubaneswar:** Despite the promulgation of Medicare Act by the Odisha Government since 2009 to curb growing violence against doctors and medical staff in government hospitals in the State, a doctor of the Balasore DHH has been admitted to ICU following alleged assault by the irate kin of a patient over his death alleging negligence in treatment.
The victim doctor, Bharat Chandra Samal, medicine specialist of the Balasore District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) has sustained serious head injuries following the alleged manhandling and has been admitted to the ICU.
Dr Samal told media, “The patient had acute problem in his pancreas and I had attended him at 9.30 am today. Since I’d outdoor duty I went away and meanwhile some other doctor also had attended him and already referred him to Cuttack SCB. When I had returned from outdoor, an old man, perhaps his father entered into a scuffle with me and all of a sudden I was hit from behind with an iron rod and started profusely bleeding. By the time the 108 ambulance had arrived and he was being shifted, he succumbed”.
The dead patient’s brother Deepak Dey alleged utter negligence by the medical staff.
“Despite my brother’s critical condition and even though having brought to the hospital here since 4 pm on Thursday, no proper attention was given. When the pain aggravated at night, we urged them repeatedly to discharge us so that we could shift him elsewhere for better treatment, but all fell on their deaf ears”, Deepak said.
Balasore Town PS IIC Dillip Sahoo said, “We’re investigating into both the complaints and take actions accordingly. The deceased is Krishna Dey of Balgopalpur under Remuna police limits in the district. Preliminary investigation reveals that medicine specialist Bharat Samal was allegedly assaulted by the father of the deceased at the medicine ward following death of the boy when he was being shifted to the 108 ambulance”.
CDMO Dr Bhabani Shankar Pani said, “We’ll examine the CCTV footage and the accused will definitely be caught. An emergency meeting of our doctors was convened on the day for future course of action”.
As per reports, Dr Samal has sustained serious head injuries and four stitches have been operated.
Notably, manhandling of doctors and ransacking of the Puri DHH by irate attendants over deaths of patients have been reported recently following which doctors there had tendered resignations while normalcy could be restored only after the Puri SP assured 24×7 police protection there.
On the very day of the Balasore incident, Health Principal Secretary Arti Ahuja has once again written to the Principal Secretary of Home Department for ensuring safety and security of doctors and other staff in all government health institutions across the State.
Citing her earlier letter written on October 24, 2014, Ahuja has requested for police outposts at all the government-run health institutions in the State.
“The police may be instructed to ensure the safety and security of doctors and other staffs. Any apprehension of misconduct/manhandling should be strictly looked into and prevented,” her letter states.
“The importance of Medicare Act 10 of 2009 promulgated to curb violence against medicare providers in government may also be emphasized and police stations be requested to include its provisions in the FIR,” the letter also states.