35-yr-old dies as docs protest at RML

NEW DELHI: Doctors protesting at government hospitals in Delhi is not new. However, such protests come at a price. On Monday, a protest by junior resident doctors at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital against the high-handedness of a senior allegedly resulted in the death of a 35-year-old accident victim.
The protest was due to an argument between chief medical officer in-charge and a junior doctor over duty on Saturday.The issue got highlighted after it was alleged that Ajay Rana, an accident victim died as he was not attended when he was brought to the hospital in a critical condition at 4.30 am. Said a hospital staff: "Though the call to the doctors were made immediately, valuable time was lost because the doctors did not attend him on time."
Junior resident doctor Amit Chandravanshi said he had an argument with chief medical officer incharge S K Sharma.
"After I saw the duty list for Saturday, I went to talk to Dr Sharma. According to the list, I was required to be at CMO’s room from 10 am to 4 pm instead of reporting at the casualty ward. When I tried talking to him about this, he got angry. To show his superiority, Sharma said he had links in the Medical Council of India and that my degree could be snatched. Sharma insulted me saying I had no working knowledge because I had studied at a private institute in Russia and should rather work as a clerk under him."
Chandravanshi then narrated the incident to the members of the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA). Saturday being a half-day and Sunday an off, junior doctors went on a flash strike on Monday at 4.30 am. They later gathered near the CMO’s office around 8.30 am and protested for almost an hour. The protests were withdrawn only after the news of the patient came in.
Defending himself, Sharma said, "We are here to work as a team. As a senior, I always instruct those working under me. How they take it is up to them. We are here to save the lives of patients and are paid for it. This is our duty. I cannot tolerate if somebody acts irresponsibly."
However, RML authorities and the junior doctors both refuted the allegations. RML hospital medical superintendent N K Chaturvedi said that the patient died due to a cardiac arrest.
"The patient was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. We carried out his CT scan, primarily the reason why he was referred here. However, he died while coming out of the CT scan room around 8 am. The protest of junior doctors had nothing to do with his death," Chaturvedi said.
RDA president Dr S N Gole said: "We are here for public service. We cannot go on strike without serving a 24-hour notice. We had gathered to protest against the behaviour of the CMO in-charge towards the junior resident doctor and show our strength."
According to the police, Ajay Rana met with an accident at Badli in Haryana on Sunday night. He was first rushed to Civil Hospital in Jhajjar from where he was sent to PGI, Rohtak. Rana, who had suffered head injuries, was then referred to RML Hospital.
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