Chennai doctor stabbed, raises safety concerns among health workers

A doctor on duty at Chennai’s Kalaignar Centenary Multy speciality government hospital was stabbed by a man. The victim was identified as Dr Balaji Jagannathan. The doctor was admitted to the hospital’s ICU with severe stab wounds. Two people have been arrested in connection with the incident, reports said. Several doctors at the government hospital held protests over the incident. Here’s what has happened so far:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said Balaji was stabbed by a family member of the patient. “The person involved in this atrocity was immediately arrested…I have ordered to give….all the necessary treatment and to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident.
Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, Tamil Nadu, Supriya Sahu, explained what exactly led to the stabbing incident at Chennai hospital.

A 26-year-old man reportedly assaulted the 53-year-old doctor inside the outpatient room during a conversation regarding his mother’s treatment. The doctor was stabbed at least seven times on Wednesday, news agency PTI reported.
She said a person’s mother was treated at the hospital and she was suffering from cancer. “He had this grievance and he actually just normally walked into the hospital today. He had a kitchen knife, and with that knife, he attacked one of our senior doctors here – Dr Balaji,” she said.
Giving an update on the doctor’s health, Sahu said he was given the necessary treatment and is recovering. Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said, “The doctor is safe now, he is under treatment.”
Stalin said the government would take all measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. Meanwhile, Supriya Sahu said security at all the government hospitals in Tamil Nadu has already been beefed up. She said all the security cameras have been reviewed.
“In fact, in our state we have already done a security audit along with the police and the district collectors. All the hospitals whether they are medical college hospitals or the district hospitals or the big institutions, where there are large numbers of people coming in, we have done Joint Security Audit already…”

Following the incident, the Public Health Department gave instructions to the district officials to ensure enhanced security and provide doctors and healthcare workers safer working environment at government Medical Institutions and other Health facilities. Instructions were also issued to take immediate measures and prompt action.
The attack led to an outrage and doctors and nurses gathered in front of the hospital entrance to mark their protest. Doctors at the Kalaignar Centenary Multy speciality government hospital held a protest after the 26-year-old man attacked a doctor with a knife today.
“We do not have safety while doing our duty,” one of the protersting KCSSH doctors was quoted by PTI as saying.
Later, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said doctors withdrew their protest, which they had announced before. “We have assured about the safety of the doctors so they are withdrawing the protest,” he said.
Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian held a meeting with the medical association members and other concerned officials on the safety issue of doctors.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Dy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin said, “…The Minister is going to have a discussion with the doctors’ association today…” Both the ministers visited the Kalaignar Centenary Multy speciality government hospital in Chennai to meet the victim doctor.
Former Tamil Nadu minister and AIADMK leader Dr C Vijayabaskar condemned the attack and said he spoke with the victim who was attacked by knife. “It was a well-planned assault… We strongly condemn this. The LoP [Tamil Nadu] keep telling the CM and the health minister that there is no law and order in Tamil Nadu…”
Meanwhile, AIADMK leader D Jayakumar saod, “Tamil Nadu is facing worst law and order situation. Every day there is murder and robbery happening. Even doctors who save lives have no safety in this state.”
BJP National Spokesperson CR Kesavan asked, “Is it safe enough for our doctors who do God’s work?” He said the “gruesome” attack on a doctor in broad daylight shows “that it is not a security lapse” but “a security collapse”.
He said, “It is a government hospital and the government is responsible for this. The CM is also the Home Minister… The Health Minister’s reaction was very irresponsible… Without ascertaining the facts, he blurted out that the attackers were from North India and then later he retracted saying that the attackers are from the same state…,” the BJP leader added.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore said it’s a severe issue of a doctor being attacked by hooligans. “It needs thorough investigation. Doctors, duty-bound doctors who are doing their job in government hospitals, should be protected,” he said.
“It’s a very unfortunate thing that doesn’t usually happen in Tamil Nadu hospitals. This kind of unruly behaviour by any one of them should be dealt with seriously. I hope that the health minister and the other officials, particularly the police, take this as a very serious thing…,” Tagore said.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) also condemned the stabbing of an on-duty government doctor in Chennai.
“No amount of superficial damage control exercises by Governments is going to make doctors work without fear in this country,” the IMA said.
It added, “Strong deterrent legislation, exemplary punishments and proactive safety measures are required now and here.” The statement further read, “The medical profession of the country is deeply disturbed and is skeptical of the remedial measures on this ever-recurring violence.”
“Only a comprehensive overhaul of the security atmosphere in the hospitals could restore the confidence of doctors. The nation owes this to its doctors,” a letter from the IMA read.