20 April,2015 10:16 PM IST | | Diksha Punjabi
Doctors at Sion hospital are going to get additional security after a resident doctor from the medicine department was attacked by relatives of a patient on Saturday
Doctors at Sion hospital are going to get additional security after a resident doctor from the medicine department was attacked by a wooden stick by a group of relatives on Saturday. The move has come after Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) observed a silent protest in the campus. As part of their protest, resident doctors did not attend OPD. The patients were shifted to casualty for check up.
Dr. Ramesh Rathod, who was attacked, said, "After this incident I was really worried about our security. Though we will continue to work here we need proper security."
Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) observe silent protest at Sion Hospital.
The incident occurred on Saturday at around 2pm when relatives tore Dr. Ramesh Rathod's shirt and broke his stethoscope. The incident occurred in the general ward of the hospital. Rathod suffered minor bruises and scratches.
This is the third incident in the last 15 days in which a staff has been assaulted on the premises of the hospital, and has once again raised the question of doctors' security in the hospital.
The immediate security measures that have been undertaken include CCTV cameras around the campus, a security guard being posted outside every ward, metal detectors and boom barrier.
Dr. Prateek Padole, of the medicine department, said "We are here to serve, but it is very difficult for us to work in fear so we won't tolerate any such incident."
Dr Suleiman Merchant, Dean, Sion Hospital, said "We wanted to do something without hurting any patient. Hence, we had our silent protest in the campus but we are not going to take this lightly. Security of our doctors is also important therefore we are taking this security measures."
Hospital authorities confirmed that the proposal has been approved by BMC and will be implemented within two weeks.
Yesudas Gorde, Senior PI of Sion police station, said, "An FIR has been filed under section 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), section 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), section 504(Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and also 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention)
Earlier this month, over 800 hospital staffers had gone on strike after two nurses were allegedly molested on the hospital premises.
