Jalandhar: Ward attendant caught on camera stitching wound

JALANDHAR: An inquiry has been launched after a video revealed that a class four employee of the Jalandhar civil hospital had stitched the wound of a patient in emergency. As a result, a doctor, a staff nurse and the ward attendant have been shifted from their duties.
According to the medical superintendent, any further action would now be taken by director, health, Punjab.The controversial incident took place on the night of June 11 and two days later a video went viral on the same. Taking cognizance of the incident, an inquiry was ordered by the medical superintendent. “I have shifted the emergency medical officer, staff nurse and the attendant and any further action will be taken by the director, health,” said Dr Jasmeet Kaur Bawa, the medical superintendent.
Emergency medical officer, Dr Harveen Kaur had claimed that she had sent the injured patient to minor operation theatre where attendant Raj Kamal had stitched the wound on his own without even informing her. However, the attendant defended himself and said he was asked to do the job.
Sources in the hospital said it was a prevailing practice for the attendant to help out in this manner otherwise he could not have dared to touch the wound. “Stitching is a fine job and the way the attendant is seen doing it, one can make out that he had certain level of practice in doing it and had been doing it been earlier,” said a doctor.
Dr Bawa also said that she had already issued a warning to all the doctors and other staffers against any such practice in the hospital.