The doctors of Ludhiana on roads against hooliganism

Press Conference after protest march by IMA 

Ludhiana: 31st July 2014: (Rector Kathuria//Punjab Screen):

The doctors of IMA Ludhiana are anguished at the recent incident of hooliganism at the Arora Nursing Home, Baba Than Singh Chowk, Ludhiana by certain unscrupulous elements. The doctors are trained to prevent disease and treat a person if she/he is befallen ill. Many a times despite best efforts, we are not able to cure the patient. In this specific case the patient Jyoti, who was a case of Acute Asthma with severe Pulmonary Tuberculosis was admitted at the Arora Nursing Home on 20-7-2014 in a critical condition. After initial stabilization the relatives of the patient were told to shift her to CMC Hospital as the prognosis was poor. But they refused to do so under written informed consent and wanted treatment to be continued at Arora Nursing Home only. She showed improvement but on 23rd July at 8.40 am she again became critical. The attendants were again told to shift her to CMC Hospital but they refused again due to financial problems. Despite best efforts by treating team the patient could not be saved. Some of the relatives at this juncture started creating ruckus and called few hundred people there. On provocation by Mr. Mukesh Khatri & his accomplices; they started pelting stones and damaged the hospital property. They staged a dharna outside the hospital but only with police intervention they took the body for postmortem. Again for the next two days they set on dharna in front of the hospital led by Mr. Ramesh Bangar & Mr. Mukesh Khatri and blocked the functioning of the hospital. Some people even threatened Dr. Arora & hospital staff with abusive language and threatened of physical assault. Mr. Ramesh Bangar & Mr. Mukesh Khatri demanded Rs. 5 Lacs to settle the matter.

There are several forums for the redressal of the grievances of the patients. Patients and their relatives should not indulge into any kind of violence against doctors or hospital staff when provocated by so called Mohalla leaders / Local politicians / black-mailer & self-styled mischievous NGO leaders. Damage to the hospital property is cognizable offence under the “Punjab Protection of Medicare Services Persons and Institutions (Prevention of Violence and damage to property) Act 2008.  The Indian Medical Association has time and again demanded that this act should be implemented in letter and spirit and the life / property of the doctors be protected. Only under such conditions and a tension free atmosphere the doctors can discharge their duties well. We demand:

1.   All those who indulged in violence should be booked under above-said law.

2.    Government or administration should make it sure that no such dharna be allowed in front of any hospital in case of any such eventuality.

3.    We request the media also not to highlight the news against doctors without verifying the facts thus indicting the concerned doctor and damaging his reputation which he has earned in years.  

4.    Special campaign to be launched by the administration to sensitize the junior police force and the people about this issue.

We further appeal to the people to trust in the doctors because the doctors are most pained in the event of any mishap with any patient.