SRINAGAR: The increase in the rush of patients in the lone maternity hospital Lal Ded (LD) over the years has also led to the increase in the violence and threats against the doctors.
According to the doctors, from past few years there has been a considerable rise in the assault on doctors which goes unreported mostly because of less surveillance inside the hospital.
“The experience at LD has been horrible for the junior doctors like me. One of my colleagues was assaulted by seven to six attendants some time back. The kind of chaos and panic we get caught during such a situation makes it difficult to identify the real culprits. The better surveillance through closed circuit Television (CCTV) cameras will definitely add to the security of doctors. It will also help in identifying the offenders,” said a junior doctor wishing anonymity.
“Such incidences shook one to the core. We are not able to carry our professional duties under such fear. It also affects patient care. Here people so easily take law in their hands and no one is held accountable,” the doctor added.
Another doctor is of the opinion that having not enough CCTV surveillance allows attendants to target doctors easily. “During rush hours we feel extremely insecure because things can turn threatening at any time. This is the main reason post graduates prefer other hospitals over LD because of lack of security to them.”
It is pertinent to mention here that a junior female doctor of age 24 was ruthlessly beaten by several attendants in September this year when she was examining a patient in labour room.
Talking to ‘Kashmir Images’, Medical Superintendent, LD Hospital, Dr Nazir Ahmad Malik said there is enough CCTV surveillance in the premises of the hospital and there is no need to add more.
“We cannot install CCTV’s in labour room because of privacy but rest every corridor of the hospital is sufficiently covered. Each one is under surveillance 24 hours,” he said.
