SILCHAR, March 8 � Many patients were unable to avail medical services at the Outpatient Department of Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) today as over 400 junior doctors and medical students registered their protest against vandalism and physical assaults after a patient died after delivery on Friday night.
According to the junior doctors and medical students, unless they get the assurance of adequate security inside the hospital campus, they will not risk their lives in treating patients. The OPD services were disrupted since 8 am. While the patients were kept waiting for services, the protesting doctors went around the campus wearing black badges and placards demanding police patrol post and echoed �No security, no duty. Arrest the culprits and give us justice.�
It is learnt that Nasima Begam Laskar of Alitikar Meherpur was admitted at the Department of Gynaecology on February 27. She gave birth to a baby on February 28 and both mother and the child were in good health till Friday when Nasima experienced complications. According to sources, she was experiencing hypertension and eventually died.
The family of the dead patient protested against doctors� alleged negligence and attacked the doctors. As many as 25 furious men broke into the department and began to damage the hospital property. This led to a chaotic situation and police along with CRPF had to rush to the spot.
Ruhul Amin Choudhury, president of the SMCH Medical Students� Union said that the doctors are frequently exposed to such assaults, which cannot be tolerated. However, the protesters ended their strike after a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner GM Hazarika and Superintendent of Police Diganta Bora, who assured that the culprits would be arrested at the earliest and also police security would be given to the doctors.
