Medical Error: Mob turns violent after patient dies

Patient was admitted to the hospital for an appendix surgery about five days ago.

KARACHI: A mob attacked doctors and paramedical staff at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital on Wednesday evening, over their alleged failure to save the life of a patient admitted at the facility.

Shakeel, son of Rasheed, a resident of Baldia Town, was admitted to the hospital for an appendix surgery about five days ago.

As the patient breathed his last, the protesters started rioting in the hospital’s premises and caused damage to the infrastructure. They also damaged several vehicles parked in the vicinity. Several doctors and paramedical staff were beaten up by the protesters.

Following the violence, doctors and paramedical staff vacated the hospital premises.

Meanwhile, doctors at the hospital maintained that the patient was not dead and was on ventilator.

“He is still admitted at the hospital and is on ventilator after his appendix operation,” SHO Ejaz Lodhi told The Express Tribune. “Doctors have not declared him dead.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2014.