LNJP docs get self-defence lessons from Delhi cops

Doctors in a Delhi government hospital will now be trained in self-defence by Delhi Police.

In the wake of recent brutal attacks on doctors in government hospitals countrywide, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital has initiated a self-defense training programme for the hospital staff, especially women.

According to J C Passey, Medical Director, LNJP hospital, "Doctors and medical professors including women have already enrolled to learn martial arts The ten-day training session began on April 5 at the 7th-floor emergency block (Disaster ward)."

He also stated that all the doctors and medical staff are being requested to attend the training programme as this will help medical practitioners to handle threatening situations with greater confidence.

"More than 70 working staff including staff nurses, paramedical staff and security guards deployed at the hospital have been turning up for the training sessions," said Dr Ritu Saxena, Deputy Medical Superintendent, LNJP hospital.

The training session is conducted by two officials of Special Protection Unit of Women and Child, Delhi Police.

"This self-defence training will boost the confidence among the female staff, both inside and outside the hospital premises. This is the first batch of training for the hospital staff and if it clicks, more sessions will be held," said Dr Saxena. "During night duty, most of the nursing staff are alone in the wards and sometimes they are at receiving the end of angry outbursts from patients' relatives. With this self-defence training, female staff will give a fitting reply to miscreants inside the hospital," said a nurse at LNJP hospital.

However, the experts are divided about the unique initiative to help doctors save themselves against any form of adversity related to their profession. While some felt the focus should have been on settling disputes through proper communication. While, others said, "learning taekwondo did not mean the doctors will get into a fight deliberately."

A few days ago, the doctors at Deen Dayal Upadhaya hospital were brutally assaulted at the emergency block by the relatives of a patient. The assault on doctors had triggered the massive strike of resident doctors for more than five days in Delhi government hospitals.