Violent protest: Patient’s family blames death on doctors’ negligence

Say delay caused death; doctors say patient had suffered a massive heart attack, was dead on arrival.

JAHANIAN:

Several relatives of a patient allegedly vandalised property and beat up doctors including the medical superintendent at Jahanian tehsil headquarters (THQ) hospital on Friday accusing them of negligence in treatment.

The protesters stated that Noor Muhammad, a resident of Chak 115/10-R, died due to a delay in treatment.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Ghulam Muhammad, brother of the deceased, alleged that there was no doctor in the emergency ward when they brought Muhammad. He said Medical Officer Dr Arshad appeared on the scene first, but he had wanted Medical Superintendent Dr Khalid Naeem to examine the patient. He alleged that the MS was requested to attend the patient but he refused.

Jahanian City police have registered an FIR against six men nominated by the medical superintendent, including Nabi, and 12 unidentified men for beating up public servants and obstructing them from discharging their duties.

MS Naeem stated in the FIR that besides beating him and other officials, the protesters vandalised hospital property and caused inconvenience to several other critical patients in the emergency ward.

The FIR mentions Sections 186/353, 379/429 and 148/149.

Talking to The Tribune, Dr Arshad rejected the suggestion that there was any delay in the treatment. He said that the patient had suffered a massive heart attack. The MO added that Muhammad was dead when he examined him.

“I checked the pulse and told his relatives that he was dead. They started cussing at me and beating me,” he said. He said the protester refused to listen to him and demanded that the MS be called to examine the patient. “I told them it was not needed. He had expired,” he said.

The MO said the protesters later vandalised equipment in the emergency ward and beat up other doctors who tried to push them out of the ward.

The demonstrators dispersed on the arrival of the police.

MS Naeem too said there was no negligence on part of the hospital staff. He said if people wanted the doctors to treat their relatives they should also trust their commitment to the task.

Dispenser Bashir Ahmed and driver Nasir Masih said they were beaten up by the protesters when they moved to take the body to the ambulance.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st, 2012.