Hong Kong doctor turns scalpel on himself after colleagues from Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital discuss protests
- Emergency unit doctor appeared distressed during shift in which staff had been talking about anti-government demonstrations
- He has been put on leave and staff offered support over the incident
A doctor has been put on leave after he threatened to harm himself with a scalpel in an apparent reaction to a discussion among colleagues about anti-government protests in Hong Kong.
The medic from Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan became emotional during a shift on September 7 when he raised the surgical instrument to his own body, according to a hospital spokesman.
His colleagues at the emergency unit of the public hospital calmed him down and took away the blade. No one was injured.
The spokesman said the doctor did not point the scalpel at anyone other than himself, adding department management had met separately with the doctor and members of staff who witnessed the incident.
No other personnel in the emergency unit were affected. The incident was reported to the Hospital Authority’s head office.
The hospital understood the concern from the staff and held three internal briefings, the spokesman said. The doctor has been on leave.