The medical fraternity in Tamil Nadu was on Wednesday outraged over a murderous attack on a senior doctor at the state owned Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital in Chennai by a youth.
To register their protest over assault and the lack of safety for doctors in their workplaces, the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association immediately withdrew all medical medical services – barring emergency and life-saving services – across Government medical college hospitals, district Government hospitals and primary health centres in the State. “This time we are taking up the issue very seriously. We will not withdraw the strike unless concrete action is taken to address our concerns,” declared Dr Senthil, president of the Association.
Dr Balaji Jagannath, a senior oncologist, had treated a cancer patient Prema. Alleging that due treatment was not provided to the patient, her son Vignesh, stabbed him inside the hospital premises on Wednesday morning. The doctor, who is already suffering from heart ailments, sustained seven stab injuries including on his neck and is in a critical condition in the ICU.
The police arrested Vignesh. Questioning revealed his mother had received treatment at the hospital in January and later she undertook treatment in a couple of private hospitals. However, Vignesh held Dr Balaji responsible for her initial health setbacks. “He had entered the hospital by getting an Outpatient slip. He headed to the Department of Oncology, picked up an argument with Dr Balaji and stabbed him repeatedly with a knife, before onlookers came to his rescue.
Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital Director L Parthasarathy told journalists the doctor had lost a lot of blood. “He is a cardiac patient. He had undergone surgery. He was on anticoagulant and hence there was excessive bleeding,” Dr Parthasarathy said. The victim sustained injuries on the neck, forehead, ear, head and back.
The doctor was rushed to the operation theatre. “A team of surgeons from Cardiothoracic, Vascular and Neuro Surgery departments resuscitated and operated on him. He is hemodynamically stable,” the Director added.
Expressing shock over the attack, Chief Minister M K Stalin said he had ordered due treatment for the victim and ordered a detailed inquiry into the crime.
“The selfless work of our government doctors is immeasurable... It is our duty to ensure their safety during this work,” he said adding measures would be taken to prevent such incidents.
The Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association staged a flash strike at the hospital immediately after the assault.
The Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association demanded that the accused should be booked under provisions of the Tamil Nadu Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2008.
Opposition party leaders hit out at the Government for failing to ensure the safety of medical professionals.
