Doctor Vs impatient: Life-savers under threat

Lucknow: Two to four incidents of verbal abuse or physical intimidation are reported every month across major govt hospitals in UP, though several cases go unreported, said Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday. He said such incidents usually occur during emergency care when treatment outcomes do not meet attendants’ expectations.Dr Singh was speaking at 'Ek Surgeon Ki Hatya', a live storytelling performance based on incidents witnessed in govt hospitals. The narrative follows a doctor who makes every possible effort in the operation theatre but is unable to save the patient. The situation then turns violent as attendants blame and assault the doctor despite prolonged medical intervention.“Recent incidents at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College showed how quickly a medical emergency can escalate into confrontation, with doctors at times also facing administrative or legal action afterwards," said Dr Singh.Attendants from Lucknow to Meerut, he said, have turned aggressive after patient deaths, with doctors often facing their anger despite hours of treatment.He added that in Kanpur and Aligarh too, disputes in emergency wards and dissatisfaction over treatment outcomes have repeatedly led to verbal abuse and intimidation of doctors.