LAHORE: A violent confrontation broke out between a female doctor and female attendants of a patient at the Amiruddin Ward of Gulab Devi Hospital in Lahore, hospital officials and the Young Doctors Association said.
The dispute reportedly began over a delay or a request concerning the transfer of a patient to the Intensive Care Unit and the availability of a ventilator, according to accounts of the incident.
The situation escalated when one of the attendants began recording a video on her phone, prompting the female doctor to attempt to snatch the device. The confrontation then turned physical, with slaps, punches and blows exchanged, according to the accounts.
The patient's family alleged they were assaulted and locked in a room after requesting an ICU transfer, and claimed that paramedical staff demanded a bribe. The hospital administration and the Young Doctors Association rejected that account, stating that the doctor was attacked by three women accompanying the patient.
The Young Doctors Association (YDA) has announced a protest over an alleged scuffle involving a lady doctor at Gulab Devi Hospital, as concern spreads among young doctors over the incident.
The association said such incidents should not occur in hospitals and that doctors must be protected while performing their duties. It said the episode raises serious questions about the safety of medical staff and expressed concern over the alleged violence against the lady doctor.
Meanwhile, the Gulab Devi Hospital administration said it has received an application regarding the incident. It said an inquiry is being conducted internally.
The administration said that once the inquiry is complete, action will be taken against those family members of the patient found responsible. It added that the future course of action will also be decided after the inquiry’s findings.
Medical bodies have stressed that preventing such incidents in hospitals is essential to ensure the safety of doctors and allow them to work without fear.
