Outrage in China After Surgeon Allegedly Punched Patient During Eye Surgery
Chinese authorities are launching an investigation into a disturbing incident captured on video, where a surgeon is accused of punching an 82-year-old patient during eye surgery. The incident took place in 2019 at an Aier China hospital in Guigang, southwestern China, and gained public attention this week after the CCTV footage went viral on Chinese social media.
The surgeon, who is also the hospital dean, allegedly struck the patient at least three times in the head. The patient, under local anaesthesia, reportedly exhibited signs of intolerance by moving her head and eyeballs during the surgery. They have claimed that the rough treatment was due to the patient only speaking a local dialect and not responding to the doctor's warnings. It has also been revealed that the patient sustained bruises on her forehead following the incident.
The hospital's parent group, Aier China, has taken swift action in response to public outrage, suspending the surgeon and dismissing the hospital CEO for "serious violations of the group's regulations" and other unspecified offences. The hospital's failure to report the incident to headquarters was also acknowledged by Aier China.
The patient's son revealed that the hospital management issued an apology and compensated the family with 500 yuan ($70 / £55) after the incident. The son has also claimed that his mother is now blind in her left eye, although it remains unclear whether this is a direct result of the alleged assault.
The investigation by Chinese authorities aims to uncover the full details of the incident and address public concerns about the treatment of patients in medical facilities.
