Milpark hospital patient who claims to have been physically assaulted by doctor demands urgent action
|Published
Milpark Hospital. File Picture: Mujahid Safodien.
Johannesburg - A patient at one of Netcare’s renowned hospitals, Milpark, is demanding that the hospital chain fire one of its doctors after he claims to have been physically assaulted by the health professional during his stay.
Azaad Sacoor claims he was physically assaulted during his stay at the hospital last month.
Sacoor, who was rushed to Milpark after suffering from severe seizures two weeks ago, claims he was verbally and physically assaulted by Milpark doctor Ismail Cassimjee while being transferred from the ICU ward to the normal ward of the hospital.
Sacoor said the altercation occurred between Cassimjee, who was not even his doctor, and himself over a smoking incident.
“I was at Milpark Hospital because I had major seizures on 10 January,” said Sacoor.
“I was rushed to hospital by ambulance and was treated well by nurses in the ICU Med 2. The nurses and doctors treated me well, aside from Dr Ismail Cassimjee, who was not my doctor. He was rude, arrogant, and behaved like a hooligan.
“I was sitting in the foyer smoking my vape as a nurse had allowed me to do so quickly earlier in the day as I was too weak to walk outside. Dr Cassimjee walked past and yelled at me in a very aggressive manner and told me “what the hell are you doing smoking here? You are not allowed to”.
“When I told him that a nurse had allowed me to do so he screamed and told me that the nurses had no authority to do so. I then asked a nurse to take me to a smoking area that was outside, and I complained to her about the manner in which the doctor spoke to me. He could have spoken to me in a decent manner as I am not a child.”
Sacoor says Cassimjee then escalated the incident after he found out that Sacoor had complained about him.
“While I was sitting in the smoking area outside, Dr Cassimjee stormed towards me and aggressively told me that he heard that I had complained. When I told him that he was very rude to me and owed me an apology, he refused. He then lunged at me, grabbed my hands trying to take the vape, and then used his other hand to take the vape from me, and in doing so leaned into me hitting me with his elbow in my chest and also touching my left jaw.
“He then gave up. I was furious at what he had done. I told him if he touches me again I will defend myself. He then said in an aggressive manner, flinging out his arms, I cannot do anything about the assault and began provoking me to fight with him.”
I told him he thinks he can bully me because he is a doctor, to which he replied: “Yes, I can.”
“I was weak, in a gown, suffering from immense pain in my shoulders, and was not in a position to fight. He did not realise that there were people nearby who had witnessed everything.”
Sacoor says he received an apology from the manager of the hospital. However, Cassimjee refused to apologise.
“The manager, David Stanton, spoke to the doctor and he refused to apologise. (Stanton) then gave me a private suite to calm down the situation, but didn’t really sort anything out.”
Sacoor says to date he has received an apology from Netcare and the hospital. However, Cassimjee has downright refused to do so.
“It was a horrible experience. I was in a state of shock. I felt humiliated, traumatised, victimised, and assaulted for complaining about a doctor.
“I am now suffering more pain in my shoulders and have had more seizures since I returned home from the hospital. It was a nightmare for not only me but my family too.”
Sacoor, who has laid a criminal charge against Cassimjee, says he wants the doctor to be fired and jailed.
“I want Dr Cassimjee to be struck off the medical board. These doctors are treated like kings and have lots of money and power while they treat us patients like s**t.”
However, Cassimjee vehemently denies all Sacoor’s claims, saying they are defamatory and untrue.
“I deny Mr Sacoor’s version and reject any suggestion that I would physically assault a patient,” Cassimjee told the “Saturday Star”.
“It is incorrect to state that I have been arrested, though charges have been laid with the authorities, who are still investigating. I am co-operating fully with the authorities and look forward to testifying to the falsity of these allegations under oath, if necessary,”
Netcare said it was aware of the altercation at Milpark Hospital and was investigating the incident.
“We strive to maintain a calm and healing atmosphere at the hospital and were most distressed to learn of the exchange between a doctor and a patient, which was clearly upsetting for all concerned,” said David Stanton, general manager of Netcare Milpark Hospital.
“We have extended our apology to the family and immediately made available consultation with the available counsellor and a doctor.”
The hospital has also apologised to other patients who had been witnesses to the altercation.
Stanton, however, did not say what the consequences would be for Cassimjee.