Doctor-Patient Clash At Himachal Pradesh's IGMC Sparks Probe, Accused Doc Suspended

Shimla: A shocking video of a physical scuffle between a doctor and a patient inside a ward at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) triggered controversy in the health department, prompting the administration to launch a probe.

According to officials, an argument broke out between a patient who had come for treatment at IGMC and the doctor on duty, which escalated to the point of physical violence.

The video clearly shows the patient, lying on the bed, kicking the doctor, after which the doctor loses his temper and starts punching the patient.

In the video, the doctor is seen beating the patient on the bed. People nearby try to intervene, but the doctor is seen reprimanding them as well. For some time, the hospital ward was in a state of chaos. Someone filmed the entire incident, and the video later went viral on social media.

Following the incident, the IGMC hospital management launched an investigation into the incident. The Medical Superintendent, Dr Rahul Rao, said that things would become clear only after the probe is complete.

"A committee has been constituted to investigate the matter. Following the Chief Minister's instructions, the accused doctor, Raghav Narula, has been suspended until further orders. Further action will be taken after a fair investigation, and termination may also be considered if necessary."

The patient's family said that they had come to the hospital for an endoscopy. A dispute arose between the doctor and the patient regarding lying down on the bed. The family alleges that the doctor misbehaved with the patient, who objected, and subsequently, the doctor assaulted him.

The patient's family is outraged by the incident. They have demanded an apology from the doctor and his dismissal. “If the hospital administration does not take action, we will be forced to launch a protest, as similar incidents have occurred before,” they said earlier.

Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil said, "The incident of assault on the patient is very serious and the government will not tolerate it. A strict action will be taken if the doctor is found guilty in the investigation report."

A similar incident occurred in the orthopaedic ward last week, and a complaint was filed with the Deputy Medical Superintendent, but no concrete action was taken.

Doctors at IGMC say that patients and their attendants sometimes repeatedly harass them, which disrupts treatment. They claim that incidents of misbehaviour towards doctors have also occurred in the past.

Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur has termed the incident unfortunate. He said that such incidents raise questions about the dignity of the medical profession. He has demanded that the Chief Minister take cognisance of the matter and order an impartial inquiry.

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