<p>(Representative image)<br></p>

HYDERABAD: As many as 45 small hospitals have been shut in the past two years following violence by relatives of deceased patients. Doctors claimed that many of them are affected due to the mental agony caused because of such incidents and said that hospitals, especially those with 25 beds or less, are shutting shops out of fear.

“In the past couple of years, relatives of deceased patients have started behaving in a violent manner and they attack doctors and other medical staff irrespective of whether or not the hospital is at fault. This is creating panic among the medical fraternity and many hospitals have started to offer only out-patient and other non-emergency services , where there is no threat to patient’s life. Many hospitals have closed and several others are on verge of shutting down,” said Dr G Narender Reddy, general secretary, Telangana Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (THANA).

He added, “Many doctors were contemplating to hire bouncers for personal safety, but we explained them that this will not be a patient friendly move.”

Seconding with Narender Reddy, the president of Indian Medical Association (IMA), Telangana State, B Pratap Reddy, said there has been a rise in the graph of violence against doctors and medical staff on the hospital premises.

“Hospitals and our doctors’ community are doing their job in an insecure atmosphere. These incidents are causing mental agony to doctors and also affecting critical decisions that doctors have to take while treating patients, especially during an emergency,” said Pratap Reddy, adding that vandalising hospital property and attacking the staff is unacceptable.

Meanwhile, the doctors said that hiring more security is not a solution as the guards will not have the power to attack those creating ruckus, instead it will increase the cost of treatment.

“We understand the pain of the family of the deceased. But if they had any doubts with respect to the treatment administered to the patient, they could have approached the court or medical board. Going on rampage and destroying hospital property has left the entire medical fraternity in shock. The public should realise that if hospitals stop offering critical and emergency care, they would have to bear the brunt of it,” said SS Yadav, secretary, IMA, Telangana.

Doctors also requested police to create awareness about the consequences of such attacks and person involved can be jailed for three years if he/she damages hospital property or attacks the hospital staff. Also, the troublemaker would be forced to pay double the cost of the damaged property as per ACT 11 of 2018.

