Sunsari, October 9

Doctors at Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences have resorted to agitation to protest the assault on one of their colleagues by the irate kin of a patient who died in the course of treatment here, last night.

Dambar Bahadur Baraili, 72, of Sunsari, Barahachhetra-2, Punarbas had died in the course of treatment at about 10:00pm yesterday, following which the deceased’s kin manhandled Dr Pradip Mandal, a residential doctor who was involved in the treatment.

After the incident, all doctors, including senior and residential ones, along with faculty members boycotted OPD service and resorted to agitation from 9:00am today.

The agitating doctors have refused to end their agitation until the guilty is punished.

“Our protest will continue unless persons involved in the attack are taken into custody and tried,” said DB Chhetri, demanding safety for all health workers. “It was too much for anyone to storm into the CCU ward and assault a doctor on duty,” he argued.

Nepal Medical Association has also expressed its solidarity for the agitation and sought action against guilty. NMA Chairperson Dr Mohanchandra Regmi and Secretary Dr Madhur Basnet issued a statement today urging for creation of conducive environment for doctors to discharge their duty. “How can we expect a doctor to work when he or she  is not safe even in most sensitive places such as ICU and CCU?” he asked.

The deceased’s son Ganesh Baraili, however, denied any manhandling of doctor. “My father was admitted to the hospital on Thursday and he looked fine till Sunday. But he passed away at night all of a sudden. We just wanted to know from the doctors how come a person who looked fine till the evening died in the night,” he said, blaming his father’s death on doctors’ ‘negligence’.

Meanwhile, the deceased’s kin received the body following talks with the hospital. They agreed to receive the body after the hospital pledged to waive off medical expenses and provide fund for transporting the body to the deceased’s house.