On Tuesday, the functioning of government hospitals in Puducherry were affected for almost two hours due to a protest by doctors, nurses and other employees against continued attack on hospital staff by patient’s relatives. Outpatient services as well as in-patient service were affected badly.

The protest was done as a result of the attack on Community Health Centre (CHC), Karikalampakkam, on Sunday night. According to the Medical Officer in charge, CHC Karikalampakkam, at around 5.30 pm on July 14, a patient was brought dead to hospital (case of suspected hanging). The dead person was from Thirukanjipet area.

The casualty medical officer on duty declared him brought dead which was confirmed with flat line ECG and had asked to keep the body in mortuary till the police hearse ambulance arrives. In the meantime, the patient’s relatives got angry with the doctors and started using abusive language against doctors and staff on duty saying the hospital staff’s inability to resuscitate a ‘dead’ patient.The relatives of the patient damaged the observation beds in the casualty. As there was delay in the arrival of police hearse ambulance, the angry relatives started to demand the 108 ambulance for shifting the body. The hospital staff explained them the rules regarding 108 ambulance, so they got more furious and abused damaging the hospital property.

The casualty doors were broken, patient’s cots were also thrown, ambulance rear window was broken, and stones were thrown at the hospital with the name board at the entrance damaged.

The hospital staffs were helpless as the mob went out of control. The intensity of the furious crowd decreased only after the arrival of the police gearse ambulance.

Meanwhile, the hospital administration has lodged a complaint and the police have registered an FIR against the trouble makers.

More than 500 medical staff resorted to a dharna in front of the Government general hospital demanding an end to the attack on doctors and hospital staff. They also demanded an implementation of hospital and medical professionals’ security act and declare hospitals as protected areas among other things.