Mainstream WeeklyDecember 16, 2024
Lack of awareness of health policies related to prevention of violence, non-reporting by doctors and delays in remedial proceedings lead to such incidents.
In November, a renowned oncologist at a government hospital in Chennai was stabbed [1] several times by the son of a cancer patient, allegedly for providing incorrect medicines to his mother.
WHO data shows that between 8-38 percent physicians have experienced [2] violence at least once in their medical career.
Not all such incidents occur in the immediate aftermath of a treatment gone wrong. A dentist in China was knifed [3] more than 30 times in 2016 by his patient 25 years after treatment. The patient was demanding compensation [4] for discoloration of his teeth.
In Asia, China and India experience [5] the highest incidence of violence against doctors, at 90 percent and 77.3 percent, respectively. South Asia is the third least peaceful region [6], ahead of only the Middle East, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. India and Bangladesh [7] have low Global Peace Index [8] rankings and doctors face high incidences of abuse.
Medical vandalism also takes place in countries with greater economic prosperity and public safety records. A large number of primary care physicians in developed nations such as Germany [9] and Bulgaria [10] also face significant incidents of violence [11].
Singapore ranked fifth in the Global Peace Index 2024 [12]. However, 70 percent of hospital staff faced incidents of physical abuse perpetrated mostly by old male patients [13].
Hostile accusations, undeserved and spontaneous attacks, dreadful hurt and murder are the ascending order of violent activities faced by doctors, with a high likelihood of injury, psychological harm of varying degrees, and many times death [14].
The most violent venues are [15] emergency and intensive care units (ICU) and the most violent time is visiting hours. Common reasons for violence emerging from this researcher