A family in China recently threatened a doctor with violence if anything went wrong during their child’s treatment.
A parent of a newborn admitted to a hospital in Suzhou in late September with severe neonatal pneumonia, respiratory failure, and neonatal anemia left a threatening note for the physician, reports the People’s Daily. “If the pneumonia treatment is ineffective, causing any serious consequences, I’ll take violent measures!!!” read a note.
The family apologized after the police got involved.
The threatening letter is part of a wide-reaching problem in China. Violence against doctors, or “yi nao” in Chinese, is becoming more common as frustration with the health care system grows.
Hospitals in China are often poorly managed. Patients regularly wait hours for a five-minute consultation. Also, because hospitals are typically understaffed, doctors and nurses are often overworked, causing medical mishaps.
Chinese doctors have been verbally assaulted, beaten, and even killed.
A 34-year-old pediatrician in Shandong province was stabbed 27 times by a father who lost a newborn Monday, reports the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China. The slain doctor was a father to a six-year-old and a husband to a nurse who worked in the same hospital.
The Chinese government launched a campaign in July to reduce hospital violence. More security personnel have since been stationed at hospitals, security checkpoints have been set up, and surveillance equipment has been installed. Armed policing units have also been sent out to patrol medical facilities and have authority to use force against unruly patients and their families.
Despite crackdowns, problems persist.
At least 10,000 doctors and nurses are assaulted each year, explained a 2014 study published in the Berkley Journal of Sociology.
In May, a 60-year-old dentist was stabbed to death in his home in Guangdong. That same month, a doctor in Chongqing was stabbed by the friend of a patient, and a doctor in Jiangxi was severely beaten by the family of a patient. An ear, nose, and throat specialist in Hunan was hit over the head with a heavy object and killed because the doctors were not “vigorous” in treating patients.
Send tips to ryan@
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.