An unexpected medical emergency occurred at the Swasthya Bhavan protest site around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday. An on-duty lady constable, Nivedita, of the Bidhannagar Police suffered an acute asthma attack. She was choking and had no inhaler with her.
The protesting junior doctors rushed to her aid. Dr. Bipresh Chakraborty, a senior resident doctor of Gastroenterology at SSKM Hospital, assisted her. Dr. Chakraborty examined her and found that her lungs were filled with rhonchi, caused by a buildup of secretions or an obstruction in the airways. He urgently requested an inhaler.
The Telegraph Online reached out to Dr. Chakraborty, who confirmed the incident.
“I was standing at the barricade side, where the police personnel were guarding the area. It was around 12:20 am, when one of my juniors came to me and said ‘dada, one of the lady police present here is sick and having shortness of breath. Could you please attend her once?’ I went there and already 8-10 police were present there. Dr. Falguni Bhattacharya from CNMC handed over her stethoscope to me and I examined the patient. I found out that she was suffering from asthma and at that time and setting it was beneficial to give her an inhaler. I asked her if she had an inhaler, but she was unable to speak. I rushed outside and asked for a mic from my juniors to ask for help. A particular inhaler is required to give relief to asthma patients, not any normal inhaler. I announced the same twice or thrice and meanwhile a hand came up, there was a girl from Medinipur medical college, she handed over her inhaler to me and I rushed back to the lady police to help her cope with the situation. Meanwhile the ambulance was arranged by the police.”
The medical student from Midnapore Medical College and Hospital who gave the inhaler is Somdatta.
"I am an asthma patient and I always carry the inhaler with me. I was right at the front, when a doctor took the mic and requested an inhaler for the lady police officer suffering from asthma. I immediately gave mine away," Somdatta, a final year medical student from Midnapore Medical College and Hospital, told The Telegraph Online.
A gynaecologist from Calcutta National Medical College and another junior resident doctor accompanied the policewoman to the nearby private hospital where they treated her.
The Telegraph Online Sources
“After all this, a senior police official who I guess heads the department came to me and thanked me. It was quite evident that he was very emotional. He said things could have been different if you people were not here. Two hours later I met him again last night. He once again thanked me and kept holding my hands for a good one-two minutes. He then confirmed that the lady officer named Nivedita is doing well and is stable now. Whatever I did at midnight is my duty. Had it been elsewhere also I would have done the same,” Dr. Chakraborty, to The Telegraph Online.
The Telegraph Online called up Tapas Das, Inspector-in-charge of the Electronics Complex police station. “The officer’s name is Nivedita, and she is a constable”, said Das.
“After the incident of the lady constable, we have decided we will be carrying some basic instruments and medications with us as the weather is not good, it is humid and people can fall ill. We have to be alert,” said Dr. Sk Mehebub Hossain, junior resident doctor, Calcutta Medical College & Hospital to The Telegraph Online.
The protests, which began after the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College on August 9 continues to escalate. Talks between the protesting doctors and the West Bengal government remained at a standstill as the sit-in protest reached its third day.
The minister of state, health and family welfare, Chandrima Bhattacharya questioned whether their movement had political motives. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant said that the government was disappointed. He added that the junior doctors’ demands hindered open minded discussions.
The impasse exists but even in the midst of protest, the doctors showed they are committed to their profession.
