Doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff agitated in front of the Illambazar block hospital in Birbhum on Sunday chanting “No safety, no duty” after a patient allegedly molested a nurse late on Saturday night.
A source said that Sheikh Abbasuddin, 35, had been admitted to the hospital with fever on Saturday night. When a nurse came to administer saline to him, he allegedly molested her.
Healthcare staff and the nurse immediately informed the local police station, and the accused was arrested.
Since Sunday morning, doctors and other staff have been demonstrating in front of the hospital, which can admit up to 30 patients and serves at least 50 villages in the area.
“We provide treatment to people day and night, but there is no protection for us,” a protester said in Illambazar.
“We always work in an environment where security is an issue. The incident that occurred with the nurse has exposed lapses in security.”
The Birbhum chief medical officer of health, Himadri Ari, visited Illambazar and met the police and local administration. “We have urged the police to ensure proper security at the hospital,” Ari said.
According to a senior health official, the state government has since the RG Kar rape and murder instructed the installation of CCTV cameras and the adoption of other security measures at hospitals and medical colleges.
“The security of our doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff is a primary concern. We have taken the incident of Saturday night very seriously,” Ari said.
