DOCTORS and nurses in a Longgang hospital are wearing helmets to shield themselves from attacks by a group of people who have abused and assaulted them over the death of a patient.

¡°It¡¯s kind of weird but we have no other choice. For our safety, our hospital decided to give every one a helmet, including doctors, nurses, accountants and even utility men,¡± said an official surnamed Zhang with the Shanxia Hospital in Longgang District.

The problems began when a patient who was checking out from the hospital after 17 days of treatment suddenly became breathless and died, said Zhang.

The patient had come to Shanxia Hospital three weeks ago after a traffic accident and initially responded well to treatment.

The hospital informed the relatives of the dead person of the possible cause of death and asked for an autopsy to be carried out, but the request was refused, said Zhang.

Since then a group of people have come to the hospital each day, put up offensive signs, abused doctors and nurses and even attacked them, he said.

The police has stopped the troublemakers from setting paper on fire - a common practice in China when people wish to commemorate the dead - and putting up signs in the hospital but said no physical intimidation had been witnessed.

The hospital, which has been ordered to pay some compensation to the dead person¡¯s relatives, protested at being made to pay when the family of the deceased refused an autopsy, said Zhang.(Xinhua)

DOCTORS and nurses in a Longgang hospital are wearing helmets to shield themselves from attacks by a group of people who have abused and assaulted them over the death of a patient.

¡°It¡¯s kind of weird but we have no other choice. For our safety, our hospital decided to give every one a helmet, including doctors, nurses, accountants and even utility men,¡± said an official surnamed Zhang with the Shanxia Hospital in Longgang District.

The problems began when a patient who was checking out from the hospital after 17 days of treatment suddenly became breathless and died, said Zhang.

The patient had come to Shanxia Hospital three weeks ago after a traffic accident and initially responded well to treatment.

The hospital informed the relatives of the dead person of the possible cause of death and asked for an autopsy to be carried out, but the request was refused, said Zhang.

Since then a group of people have come to the hospital each day, put up offensive signs, abused doctors and nurses and even attacked them, he said.

The police has stopped the troublemakers from setting paper on fire - a common practice in China when people wish to commemorate the dead - and putting up signs in the hospital but said no physical intimidation had been witnessed.

The hospital, which has been ordered to pay some compensation to the dead person¡¯s relatives, protested at being made to pay when the family of the deceased refused an autopsy, said Zhang.

Editor: Wing