COVID warriors feeling insecure at Northeast Frontier Railways hospital

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: At a time when doctors and nurses across the country are winning accolades for taking the lead in the battle against COVID-19, their counterparts at the Central Hospital of the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) Headquarters at Maligaon here are being allegedly assaulted by patients and their relatives.

The situation has reached such a pass that doctors and nurses at the Central Hospital, on Saturday, staged a protest in front of the hospital, which is also treating COVID-19 positive patients. There are three major alleged assault cases since July by patients and their relatives including one even by a COVID-positive person.

"Doctors are frequently becoming victims of assault or misbehaviour by patients or their family members due to the poor security measures. A COVID-positive patient had tried to attack a lady doctor doing her night duty in August with an iron rod when she complained against his drinking. On September 3, a wheel-chair-borne doctor Manish Singh was abused and assaulted by a person later identified as a leader of the railway employees union — when he had been to the hospital with his mother. The person called a few other persons to the hospital, who tried to kick the doctor. The atmosphere is becoming very scary as there are only four private security guards manning such a huge hospital," one of the doctors related to The Sentinel on Saturday.

"They even abused Singh for being physically handicapped. One of them even threatened to murder him," said the doctor.

Dr Singh lodged an FIR seeking action against the accused and his aides. But no step has been taken by the police so far, the doctor alleged. Dr Singh also posted the CCTV footages of the incident on his Facebook account showing the group's alleged misbehaviour.

The Central Hospital at Maligaon caters to the employees of NFR Headquarters and their family members apart from other patients. Around 120 beds have been allocated for COVID-19 persons and nearly 100 positive patients are still undergoing treatment in the hospital. At least 22 doctors, with 50% of them females, are now taking care of the COVID-19 positive patients in the hospital.

"Doctors, particularly for the women doctors and nurses are feeling insecure. We have been trying our best to take care the COVID-19 positive persons despite the fear and risk of being infected. But it feels very disheartening if we are abused and attacked like this. The NFR has not yet enhanced security despite our requests," another doctor said.

Sources in the NFR Headquarters at Maligaon said that a departmental inquiry into one of the incidents is being conducted; and appropriate action would be initiated against the culprits.

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