Patna: NMCH junior doctors strike work after vandalism by attendants

PATNA: About 200 junior doctors of NMCH withdrew from work from 1pm on Wednesday after the attendants of some patients assaulted a few of them and vandalised the hospital early morning.
It is for the third time in a week that the junior doctors have struck work over the same issue. NMCH is the dedicated Covid hospital in Patna.
The junior doctors demanded deployment of paramilitary forces on the NMCH campus for creating a safe environment to discharge their duties.
Taking serious note of the incident, Patna DM Dr Chandrasekhar Singh said an FIR has been lodged against the guilty persons. “Such incidents in a hospital with Covid patients would not be tolerated. Strict action would be taken against those who indulged in vandalism and violence and tried to stop the oxygen supply to the patients.
However, within minutes, the officials present there restored the oxygen supply,” he said and added that the SDO and SDPO of Patna City were trying to restore the normal functioning.
NMCH superintendent Dr Binod Kumar Singh said there were 375 Covid patients under treatment at the time of the incident. New admissions remained paralysed from about 11am.
“Apart from damaging the glass windowpanes, furniture and electrical equipment, the irate group stopped the oxygen supply leading to sudden decline in the oxygen level in some serious patients. This critical situation continued for a few minutes but the officials’ promptness helped in restoring the supply chain soon,” he said.
The NMCH Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) president, Dr Ramchandra Kumar, said trouble began at 4.30am when some irate attendants entered inside after the death of a Covid patient. They assaulted the doctors, damaged property after which several doctors on duty ran for safety.
He said some doctors had a miraculous escape after an attendant threw a big oxygen cylinder and hurled chairs and tables on them.
“The doctors had to bolt themselves in a room. They called their colleagues who rushed there and saved them,” he said.
He alleged that though the district administration had deployed policemen on the hospital campus, not even a single cop came to the rescue of doctors.
The JDA also demanded ban on entry of attendants in the Covid wards, increase the number of nursing staff and ward boys.
“We are working short of 150 interns due to postponement of MBBS examinations and hence there was an urgent need to depute 150 JRs, senior residents and assistant professors of PMCH in the NMCH,” Dr Ramchandra said.