Hyderabad's leading cardiac hospital closes OPD as doctors continue strike

Paramedics claim to be assaulted by family of deceased patient, want security

HYDERABAD: The cardiac consultants and paramedics at Hyderabad's biggest private heart care facility, Red Crescent Hospital, observed on Monday a strike for the second day.

The protest is being held as a reaction to an incident on Saturday during which the medical staff was allegedly assaulted. One of the doctors was also subsequently arrested after an elderly patient's family attributed her death to their negligence.

The hospital's emergency ward remained shut as the staff demanded satisfactory security before they can return to work.



"The doctors and paramedics have refused to work until the police take action against the people who assaulted them and provide proper security at the hospital," said Medical Superintendent Dr Fazal Memon while talking to the media.

According to Memon, the hospital's outpatient department (OPD) received over 100 patients per day, suggesting that as many people on each day of the protest would have been affected by the protest.

Zareena Khalid, 63 years old, died in the hospital on Saturday. Her relatives expressed outrage at her death and blamed the staff for delaying lifesaving treatment by engaging the family in fulfilling the formalities for long.

The deceased was an aunt of one of the hospital's executive committee member, Zulfiqar Chohan. Interestingly, he also blamed the doctors for her death.



"I myself phoned the hospital and asked them to dispense with the formalities which can be looked into later and start her treatment. However, they didn't listen and wasted crucial time," Chohan told the media.

Additional deputy commissioner Shakeel Abro said an inquiry will be conducted over the incident.



At a press conference, Dr Faraz Ahmed Shaikh and other doctors of Red Crescent Institute of Cardiology and General Hospital accused the executive committee's member Chohan of storming the hospital's emergency ward along with 70 to 80 people. They accused him of abusing and physically assaulting the duty doctors and paramedical staff without and putting the life of some critical patients being given treatment in the emergency ward at risk by creating ruckus.

They bemoaned that even the police instead of taking action against the attackers, detained a senior medical officer for 20 minutes.