More doctors and nurses being assaulted by disgruntled patients and relatives
Assaults, sometimes deadly, by disgruntled patients and their relatives are a growing occupational hazard for medical staff
Wang Tao, a surgeon at a public hospital in Beijing, has kept a metal bar in his office ever since a doctor at a hospital in Wenling, Zhejiang province was stabbed to death last month.
He also makes a habit of sitting facing the door and keeps a careful eye on patients when they reach to take something from their bags.
"It's sad, but I don't want to be slaughtered like a lamb while I am trying to help patients," said Wang, noting that some colleagues have even started carrying knives to protect themselves from violent patients or relatives.
Such is the surreal scenario facing the mainland's five million doctors and nurses every day. While medical staff anywhere can face violence from risky patients - for example, those with psychiatric disorders or dementia - the mainland is seeing a disturbing trend of attacks on doctors and nurses.
According to the Chinese Hospital Association, hospitals across the country see an average of 27 such attacks a year. Seven doctors were killed and 28 injured in 11 attacks last year alone.
Some hospitals have stepped up security for medical staff, even going as far as providing guards with riot equipment such as pepper spray, batons and shields. Two hospitals in Shanghai began taekwondo lessons for doctors after the Wenling attack.