Karapitiya medical officers, patients & local residents seek justice for arrested senior oncologist

The medical officers and nurses of the oncology unit of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, together with the patients and residents of the area staged a demonstration on Friday (Jan.19), seeking justice for the senior oncologist arrested over an alleged assault.

Dr. S.C.R. Perera, 61, was arrested for purportedly assaulting a female junior staff member during a contentious situation that had ensued on Wednesday morning. He was accused of assaulting the said staff member during a heated argument between him and the other junior staffers after he slammed them for disrupting hospital services by going on a token strike the day before.

The hospital’s authorities had brought the situation under control, however, a female junior staff member got herself admitted to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, claiming an assault by the senior oncologist who was subsequently arrested and remanded until January 22 on the orders of the Galle magistrate.

The protesting doctors, nurses, patients and area residents said the law should be enforced against the junior staff members who assaulted the senior oncologist as well.