Security woes: Mayo doctors protest attack on colleagues

LAHORE:

Mayo Hospital doctors protested in front of the Emergency Department after three doctors were manhandled by a patient’s attendant on Thursday.

The protesters said two doctors received minor injuries but the third had to be taken to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital with a head injury.

Several patients at the Emergency Ward complained that no doctor was available to treat them while the doctors protested outside for several hours, calling for better security. The protesting doctors said the hospital administration and the government should improve security for doctors. They said that action should be taken against the man who had attacked their colleagues.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Shahryar Niazi, one of the protesters, said a man had brought a 14-year-old girl with a minor injury. He said the attendant asked the doctor treating the patient not to examine or talk to the girl.

“When the doctor tried to calm the attendant, he assaulted the doctor. When other doctors intervened, he attacked them as well,” Niazi said.

He said that this was the such incident at Mayo Hospital in recent times.

“Security for doctors at the hospital is insufficient,” he said.  He said only five guards had been deployed at the Emergency Department. “This is not enough to prevent such incidents,” he said.

Dr Saad Butt, Dr Haseeb and Dr Arsalan were injured in the attack. Dr Saad had received injuries to the head and was admitted at the neurosurgery ICU.  Emergency Department deputy medical superintendent told The Tribune that the administration had taken notice of the incident. They said they were negotiating with the protesting doctors.  He said the hospital administration would register an FIR against the assailant. He also said security could be enhanced.  The doctors later returned to their duties on receiving this assurance of enhanced security.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2015.