Kolkata: Patient kin, junior doctors fight over ‘negligence’

Kolkata: A patient’s death due to alleged medical negligence led to a fight between his family members and the junior doctors at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) on Wednesday. Five relatives of the patient, Adit Singha (42), were detained by the police.

Singha, a resident of Jorabagan in central Kolkata, was brought to emergency department of the CMCH with resporatory distress in the morning. His family alleged that he was referred to the out patient department (OPD) where he was left unattended for two hours.

A junior doctor however said that the patient was detected with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease which was why he was referred to the OPD(chest) for medical tests. Singha was later sent back to the emergency department after his condition worsened, according to his family. In the afternoon he died there.

Agitated over his death, his family members and neighbours attacked the junior doctors. The cellphone of one of them was snatched while some of them were assaulted. In protest of the attack the angry junior doctors ceased work from 2.30 pm. The cops of the Bowbazar police station rushed to the CMCH.

CMCH medical superintendent cum vice principal Sikha Banerjee stood by the junior doctors. “The patient underwent treatment following his admission. His condition was made stable. He however died later. After his death his family members assaulted our junior doctors who became demoralised,” she said.

Dr Banerjee added, “The patient’s family took laws into their hands instead of lodging any complaint and waiting for an inquiry. We never support it. Even when the junior doctors were coming to me to complain about the attack on them, they were not spared. This is not fair.”