Kurukshetra, Jun 8 (PTI): The nursing staff at a hospital here on Monday observed a two-hour pen-down strike to protest against the alleged remarks by the state women’s commission chairperson against nurses during her visit in connection with a sexual assault case.
The nurses at the Lok Nayak Jai Parkash Civil Hospital said Renu Bhatia, chairperson of the Haryana State Commission for Women visited the medical institute on Sunday.
The visit came after a 62-year-old consultant doctor at the hospital was recently charged and arrested in connection with the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl at the civil hospital.
Bhatia allegedly reprimanded the officials at the hospital for the negligence leading to the incident.
A protesting nursing staff member said, “Whatever happened was very unfortunate, but Bhatia blamed the nursing staff for negligence and accused some nursing staff of possible collusion in the case.” Bhatia also said she would recommend action, including the suspension of the negligent staff members.
“The nurses were on their respective duties and whenever the doctors who conduct OPDs call a nurse during the examination of a female patient, they immediately reach. However, no such call was made by the accused doctor on the day of the incident,” a protester said.
The striking nurses argued that it was unfair to blame them without a proper investigation and demanded an apology.
They submitted a memorandum to Civil Surgeon Dr. Sukhbir Singh.
During the protest, Senior Nursing Officer Gurmeet Kaur said nurses work tirelessly day and night to serve patients, often managing 70 to 80 patients single-handedly, and yet are “frequently blamed whenever something goes wrong”.
Later, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Sukhbir Singh told mediapersons that he, along with Principal Medical Officer Dr Sarah Agrawal, met the nursing staff and assured them that their concerns would be conveyed to the Bhatia.
Earlier, the Haryana State Commission for Women had taken suo motu cognisance of the alleged sexual assault incident and sought an action taken report.
The Haryana government terminated the accused doctor with immediate effect after an FIR was registered.
According to the Kurukshetra police, a complaint was filed on May 31 by a local resident, reporting that on May 29, he and his daughter visited the LNJP Hospital for medical treatment. The accused doctor allegedly admitted both father and daughter into separate wards.
When the father visited his daughter’s ward on May 31, she allegedly disclosed that the doctor had sexually assaulted her on May 29.
Acting on the complaint, a case was registered against the doctor under Sections 6 and 10 of the POCSO Act, 2012. During the investigation, the minor’s statement was recorded before a magistrate, and a medical examination was conducted. PTI COR SUN PRK
(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)
