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In a stark reflection of the growing unrest and insecurity faced by healthcare workers in India, junior doctors and nurses at Sagar Dutta Hospital in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district initiated a 'cease work' agitation on Saturday, August 12, 2023. This protest was a direct response to a violent assault on hospital staff by the family members of a deceased patient, highlighting the vulnerability and lack of safety measures within state-run healthcare facilities. The incident, which occurred near Kolkata on Friday, August 11, 2023, left three junior doctors, three nurses, and other healthcare workers injured.
The genesis of this tragic confrontation lay in the death of a middle-aged woman during treatment at the hospital. Her family, deeply grief-stricken and harboring suspicions of medical negligence, accused the medical team of failing to provide adequate care. A junior doctor participating in the protest recounted the events, stating that the patient was admitted with acute breathing difficulties. Despite efforts to administer oxygen, her condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to her demise. However, the family's claims of inadequate medical care fueled their anger and led to the subsequent assault on the hospital staff.
The escalation of the situation was alarmingly swift. Reports indicate that approximately 15 to 20 relatives of the deceased patient, fueled by grief and accusations, forcefully entered the female medicine ward and launched a physical attack on the staff on duty. This act of aggression transpired despite the presence of police personnel at the hospital. A nurse involved in the protest expressed the deep-seated anxieties felt by healthcare workers, stating that they had repeatedly called for better security measures in the outpatient department and hospital wards, but their concerns had consistently been ignored.
The protesting junior doctors and nurses are resolute in their demands for improved security arrangements within the hospital and have vowed to continue their 'cease work' protest until their demands are met. A junior doctor spearheading the agitation poignantly remarked, "This incident clearly shows that the state administration has failed to prioritize the safety of healthcare workers." This statement underscores the deep sense of frustration and disillusionment among healthcare professionals, who feel their well-being is being disregarded by the authorities.
In response to the incident, the hospital administration lodged a complaint with Kamarhati Police Station. The Barrackpore Police Commissionerate has initiated an investigation into the assault. A senior police official confirmed the deployment of police patrols at the hospital's main gate to enhance security. However, the deployment of police patrols after the fact serves as a reactive measure, highlighting the need for proactive steps to ensure the safety and security of healthcare workers in hospitals across West Bengal.
This incident echoes the widespread concerns that have been simmering within the medical community in West Bengal since the horrific rape and murder of a colleague at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, 2023. While emergency duties have resumed at Sagar Dutta Hospital, the security concerns at state hospitals persist, fueling discontent and anxiety among healthcare workers. The ongoing unrest demands immediate and decisive action from the state government to address the systemic issues of security and safety that plague state-run hospitals, ensuring that healthcare professionals can perform their duties without fear of violence and intimidation.
Source: Bengal doctors go on protest after attack on medical staff at state-run government hospital