Docs at Chitwan hospitals suspend services indefinitely

CHITWAN, July 15: Doctors at the hospitals in Chitwan district have decided to halt all medical services, except emergency, citing security reasons. There have been many incidences of relatives venting their ire on medical staff, including doctors, after patients die in the course of treatment.



The decision to stop all services for an indefinite period came following the latest incidence in which the medical superintendent of Bharatpur hospital, Dr Mahendra Neupane, 55, was beaten by the relatives of a deceased Ram Hari Samari on Saturday. [break]The relatives accused Dr Neupanne of not providing enough oxygen to 54-year-old Ram Hari Samari, a TB and asthma patient.



After Samari died, his son Krishna Hari Samari thrashed Dr Neupanne at patients´ ward. “My father died because he didn´t get enough oxygen as the doctor took out the oxygen mask,” said Rajan Samari, another son of Ram Hari.





Dr Bijay Poudel showing Dr Mahendraraj Neupane´s bruises, who was thrashed over a patient´s death, in Chitwan. (Chandni Hamal)


Dr Neupane has bruises on his back and had to get stitches below his eye. The police have arrested Krishna Hari.



According to Dr Bhoj Raj Adhikari, Ram Hari Samari was a terminally ill patient with a little chance of recovery. “The relatives were interfering in the treatment of the patient. They used to increase or decrease the oxygen level without the knowledge of the doctors on duty,” said Dr Adhikari.



“They assumed that by giving high dose of oxygen, the patient would get better. But after the patient died, locals and the relatives of the patients attacked me alleging that it was my fault” said Dr Neupane.





Stranded patients and visitors. (Photo: Chandni Hamal)


According to a senior surgeon at Bharatpur Hospital Dr Bijaya Poudel, instead of opting for legal action, locals and relatives of a patient who dies while undergoing treatment take the matters in their own hands.



“If such incidences keep happening, how can we feel safe at duty?” asked Dr Poudel.



In two other similar incidences, relatives of a patient and the locals vandalized Aasha Hospital accusing doctors of negligence and a former police officer thrashed a nurse after his daughter, a blood cancer patient, died during treatment at the cancer hospital in Bharatpur.

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