Nurses launch protest against ‘physical assault by doc’ at Cooch Behar Med Hosp

Cooch Behar/Darjeeling: Nurses launched a protest at the Cooch Behar MJN Medical College and Hospital with allegations levelled by a nurse against a doctor of allegedly physically assaulting her. The protest continued until late Saturday night.

The incident occurred on Saturday morning at the female medical ward when a trainee nurse failed to draw the blood of a patient, a senior staff nurse on duty approached a PGT doctor for help. The doctor apparently denied and told her that it is the duty of a nurse to draw blood. A heated argument broke out and the doctor allegedly abused and physically assaulted the nurse.

Soon after the incident, the nurses broke out in a protest along with the patient party. They submitted a written complaint to the Nursing Superintendent demanding immediate action be taken against the doctor.

Nursing Superintendent Shefali Purkait said that the nurses submitted a complaint of a doctor beating up a senior nurse. “They have submitted a written complaint to me. I have reported the matter to the higher authorities.”

Deepshikha, a nurse at the hospital, said that the senior nurse was assaulted by the doctor following an argument over drawing of blood. “We want an investigation into this incident. We demand action be taken against the guilty.” Dr Rajeev Prasad, Medical Superintendent-cum-vice-principal of MJN Medical College and Hospital, said that he has received a complaint.

“We have constituted a 5-member fact finding committee. They will investigate and prepare a report based on their findings. Any person found guilty, action will be taken as per the rules.” Anit Thapa, Chief Executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA,) vehemently condemned the incident and wrote to the Principal Secretary of the Health Department, Government of West Bengal and requested him to conduct a thorough enquiry as per legal provisions that aim at ensuring safety and dignity of women in their workplaces. The nurse who hails from Kalimpong under the GTA is in trauma owing to the “physical assault and verbal abuse,” stated the letter.