400 JJ doctors ‘bunk’ after patient’s kin hit 2 medicos

MUMBAI: Irate relatives of a dead patient at state-run JJ Hospital, Byculla, assaulted two resident doctors, including a female, and ransacked the ward early on Saturday. The hospital’s 400-odd resident doctors immediately went on a “mass bunk” and sought round-the-clock security guards in every ward as well as crowded hospital zones.

Dr Atish Parekh sustained a cheekbone fracture while Dr Shalmali Dharamadhikari, who had moved from Pune a few days ago to pursue post-graduation at JJ Hospital, is severely traumatized.“A nurse who was roughed up has got a panic attack,” said JJ Hospital authorities. They were immediately hospitalized. Dr Parekh told TOI that he didn’t want to discuss the assault. Dr Dharamadhikari’s parents said they hadn’t discussed the incident with her as they didn’t want to relive the trauma.

JJ Hospital dean Dr S D Nanandkar said, “The attackers randomly attacked relatives of other patients as well.” He said he had requested the resident doctors to return to work but they seemed adamant on an “immediate solution” to the security problem. After a late-night meeting with the hospital and state officials, the residents decided to continue with their mass bunk till a solution is reached.
JJ Marg police arrested four Mumbra residents, identified as Mohammed Altaaf Shaikh (32), Sony Sanaullah Shah (23), Rehan Shah (22) and Samila Khatun Sanaullah Shah (20), for the attack.
Deputy commissioner of police (Zone I) Manoj Sharma said the four relatives have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections for rioting, preventing a government servant from discharging his duties, assault, damage to public property, and under the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2010.
The attack, which occurred around 7am, began after the assaulters’ relative, 45-year-old Zaidabibi Shah, died. While Sony, Rehan and Samila are the deceased Zaida Shah’s children, Shaikh is her son-in-law.
“Their patient was a suspected case of cancer,” said dean Dr Nanandkar. “Managing a critical patient is rigorous and doctors carry out a number procedures and use many equipment,” he added. However, the relatives started interfering and telling the doctors what they should do. Her vital parameters were altered as her gall bladder infection spread.
According to the police, Shah was to undergo a test for which she had to stay hungry but her relatives fed her food that led to vomiting. “When the doctors learnt about this, they shouted at the relatives and this was the trigger for the tension between the doctors and the relatives,” said inspector Shirish Gaikwad, senior inspector of JJ Marg police. The assault and ransacking of ward number 11 have been captured on CCTV. “This will serve as strong evidence and we will see to it that the accused are convicted. It will sent a strong message to the society,” said the inspector.
On Saturday afternoon, some of JJ Hospital’s gates were closed to monitor the crowds. Several relatives said that doctors hadn’t visited their patients and senior doctors and nurses had taken over. JJ Hospital’s MARD (Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors) president Dr Sharang Donarkar said the doctors had been requesting security alarms for the past 18 months, but in vain. “The number of security guards has reduced to half since their appointment. Those present are largely non-functional.”
A press release sent by MARD said, “Resident doctors are in a state of panic and afraid to work under such conditions. We cannot resume our duty unless appropriate security measures are implemented, which are due for the last one year. We will however work in emergency and casualty CCU and ICU.”