JOIN USPolice chowki at LBS Hospital to ward off unruly crowd
After abstaining from work for two days over the manhandling of doctors and hospital staff by relatives of a pregnant woman who died, resident doctors at Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital finally called off their strike on Tuesday evening.
The doctors visited the state health secretary at Delhi Secretariat on Tuesday afternoon with their demands.
After many rounds of talks, it was decided that a temporary police chowki will be set up at the hospital before formalities are completed for a permanent one. Also, 13 new security personnel will be hired and positioned at important locations.
But the latest episode of ruckus by a 300-strong mob only highlighted a string of aggravated brawls involving patients, their relatives and doctors at the hospital located in Khichripur in east Delhi.
Striking doctors alleged that threats and verbal abuse of doctors there is a daily affair, mostly by drunk relatives at night, with manhandling taking place at least once a week.
“The whole belt between Khichripur to Trilokpuri is notorious. People are referred to our casualty department from 16 police stations. Most of those accompanying the patients come in an inebriated condition and abuse us over the slightest of issue,” said Dr Shalin Tiwary of Resident Doctors’ Association at the hospital.
Doctors said the hospital premises have become a gambling and drinking area once the sun sets.
While senior doctors leave for home, the burden to deal with the nefarious elements rests on junior doctors, who till now had just one or two constables to protect them.
As a result, every night there are two to three incidents of misbehavior with doctors, and often with female patients.
On July 17 this year, Tiwary himself was slapped by a relative of a patient. In fact, doctors alleged that this Monday, a sweeper was roughed up since the relatives could not get hold of doctors who were on strike.
The problems faced are not limited only to doctors.
“On July 23, an unknown person came to the hospital late at night and fled after molesting a woman who was breastfeeding her child. Such incidents are routine here,” said Dr Juhi Chouksey, a junior resident doctor.