The death of a three-year-old child during treatment at Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital in Nalanda district led to a major uproar late Wednesday night. The child’s relatives accused the doctor of not being present on duty and allegedly started vandalising the hospital. The situation escalated to the point that doctors and healthcare workers posted in the emergency department were forced to hide in different rooms to protect themselves.
The agitated people allegedly chased and assaulted a doctor and also misbehaved with and assaulted female healthcare workers. The incident triggered b resentment among doctors and hospital employees.
In protest, doctors and healthcare workers shut the hospital’s OPD and emergency services at around 2 am. Patients faced difficulties for about 11 hours, with several patients and their relatives returning without treatment. Some patients were forced to seek treatment at private hospitals and clinics.
According to information available, the child’s relatives brought the three-year-old from Chhoti Pahari locality in Bihar Sharif to Sadar Hospital at around midnight. The child was suffering from dehydration. Dr Ajay Kumar, in-charge of the paediatric ward, conducted the child’s initial examination and started treatment.
It was reported that Dr Ajay Kumar then went to see other children admitted to the SNCU. Healthcare workers continued treating the child, but the child died during this period. After learning about the death, the relatives became agitated.
The relatives alleged that despite the child’s critical condition, timely and appropriate treatment was not provided and the doctor was not present at the spot. The dispute escalated after the relatives began questioning doctors and healthcare workers. Within a short time, the situation turned into an uproar, followed by vandalism on the hospital premises. Patients and their relatives also panicked.
The agitated people allegedly entered the emergency ward and assaulted Dr Amit Kumar, who was treating patients there. The doctor was reportedly chased and beaten by the crowd. Female healthcare workers present at the hospital were also allegedly subjected to verbal abuse and misbehaviour.
As the situation worsened, several employees locked themselves inside rooms and hid there to protect themselves. Some parts of the hospital were damaged during the uproar and vandalism. Images showing broken doors and shattered glass emerged after the incident.
The hospital environment became tense following the incident, while patients and their relatives who had come for treatment were also frightened. Medical staff raised concerns about their safety during duty and the impact of such incidents on their ability to provide treatment in serious situations.
Police from Bihar Sharif and Laheri police stations reached the spot after receiving information about the incident. Police attempted to control the situation and calm the growing tension on the hospital premises. However, doctors and healthcare workers continued to express anger over the incident.
Doctors decided to stop work over security concerns, resulting in disruption of OPD and emergency services from around 2 am. The suspension of services had a direct impact on patients.
The number of patients arriving at Sadar Hospital for treatment and tests did not decrease in the morning, but the work stoppage by doctors caused difficulties. Patients and relatives who had travelled from distant areas had to wait for a long time. Several people left for other hospitals after seeing the situation at Sadar Hospital.
Nalanda Sadar Hospital is the district’s major government hospital, with patients arriving from different parts of the district for treatment. The suspension of services such as the OPD and emergency department therefore caused difficulties for a large number of people. Patients requiring routine treatment as well as those in serious conditions and their relatives faced concerns as treatment arrangements remained affected for several hours.
The incident also raised questions about the safety of doctors and healthcare workers in hospitals. Hospital management said that more than 100 guards and Home Guard personnel are deployed on the premises. Questions have been raised about why the security arrangements were not effective at the time of the uproar and assault.
Medical staff said that grief and anger among relatives following a patient’s death is understandable, but assaulting doctors and healthcare workers or vandalising a hospital cannot resolve the issue. Healthcare workers said such an environment makes doctors feel unsafe and directly affects hospital services. They said proper security arrangements for doctors and employees are necessary alongside treatment facilities.
The child’s relatives, on the other hand, alleged that the child might have survived if a doctor had been available on time and better treatment had been provided. However, the actual cause of the child’s death and whether there was any negligence in treatment will only be established after an investigation. Amid the allegations from both sides, hospital administration said that the matter would be investigated.
Hospital Deputy Superintendent Dr Rajiv Ranjan said that the matter would be investigated and that discussions would be held with doctors and concerned healthcare workers to find a solution. The administration is seeking to calm the dispute and restore medical services at the hospital as soon as possible. Discussions are also underway regarding the safety of doctors and action against those responsible for the incident.
The incident has also raised questions about the effectiveness of security arrangements at a sensitive location such as a hospital. Medical staff are demanding that security personnel be permanently deployed in sensitive areas of the hospital and that immediate intervention be ensured in the event of any dispute.
The incident has brought the issue of trust between patients and healthcare workers into focus. Patients and their relatives want timely and better treatment, while doctors and healthcare workers want a safe environment in which to provide care. Maintaining trust between both sides is important for the functioning of the hospital.
The incident at Nalanda Sadar Hospital affected healthcare services for several hours. The dispute that began with the death of the child escalated into alleged assaults on doctors and healthcare workers, vandalism and the closure of OPD and emergency services. Patients faced difficulties for around 11 hours. Emergency services were later restored following administrative intervention. The hospital administration and police are currently investigating the matter.
