The complete hospital staff including sanitary workers to its top doctors protested against the gruesome attack on a cardiologist and a sanitary attendant at STNM Hospital, Gangtok in a silent march at the hospital premises. On December 14, Cardiologist Dr Sanjay Upreti and sanitary attendant Kalwati Chettri were stabbed with a knife by Thinlay Bhutia from Tathangchen in Gangtok.

Sources said the condition of the two was critical so flown to Neotia Hospital in Siliguri for further treatment on December 15. Both were under ventilation for over 10 hours after the initial treatment at STNM Hospital on Tuesday. The attack was concluded to be a personal attack on Kalwati Chettri, who was avoiding calls from the attacker. The doctor was attacked while saving the attendant from the attacker, who walked into the hospital and on finding viciously stabbed her around her thigh.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay visited and met the two before they were referred to the Siliguri hospital and on concerning notes assured more stringent security at the hospital premises using metal detectors and limiting family visits of the patients.

Medical Superintendent KB Gurung, other senior doctors and the police stopped the hospital staff, from taking the protest outside the hospital premises. Later, the protesting hospital staff assembled at the conference hall and shared their grievances that have allegedly occurred over the years at the state’s only government multi-speciality hospital and showed concern regarding the insecurity faced during the night shift and improper alarm system, and non-maintenance of CCTV cameras which helped the attacker to move out of the hospital and roam easily.

A section of STNM doctors, including the Indian Medical Association’s Sikkim chapter, has proposed for a Legislative Bill to strengthen security and severely punish the guilty for attacks on health care workers. The health workers also agreed to submit a memorandum to the state government as well as to various national-level medical bodies. The IMA Sikkim Chapter president Dr Karma Loday Bhutia said that there is an Act in place which says the offence was non-bailable and have complained this to the Health Minister. A gazette would be published by the state government and there was a need to push for a Bill.

Source: East Mojo