Medical Association condemns assault of doctor in Ba by a patient’s son

The Fiji Medical Association has strongly condemned the act of cowardly violence that was committed against one of the doctors at Ba Mission Hospital yesterday.

President, Doctor Basharat Munshi says the doctor was finishing off his night shift in the morning when he got allegedly physically assaulted by a patient’s son.

Doctor Munshi says the doctor had been doing his admission before the morning handover, when the triage nurse referred a case to him. He says the case had preliminary work-up done, had been deemed stable and was there for a review of an ultrasound scan.

The FMA President says the doctor was blind-sided in an unprovoked attack which resulted in him falling to the floor whereby he was allegedly further kicked whilst on the ground.

Doctor Munshi says despite being attacked, humiliated and demeaned, the doctor still carried out his duty and consulted the patient after this cowardly assault.

FMA is against all forms of violence and says they are firm believers and advocates of treating our fellow human beings with respect, dignity and courtesy and such cowardly attacks against a fellow doctor will not be taken lightly.

Doctor Munshi says they understand that Police are investigating the matter but FMA, as an organization that advocates for non-violence, will be looking at other legal avenues to bring the full brunt of the law against the perpetrator.

He says they know that the Fijian public in general do not condone such behavior and they will do their utmost to ensure that this incidence remains an exception as opposed to becoming the norm.