An incident with a team from the Emergency Medical Center in Pernik occurred early Monday morning. Medics were called to a patient in an inadequate condition, but when attempting to examine and transport him, he became aggressive and punched the ambulance driver in the face.
Dr. Natalia Vashenko, who was part of the team, told bTV that during the initial attempt to measure his blood pressure, the patient also attacked her. Volunteers and colleagues had to help carry him from the fifth floor to the ambulance with a tarpaulin.
“The patient was in serious condition – with liver cirrhosis, encephalopathy and epilepsy. He was aggressive towards everyone around him – medics, drivers and relatives. The moment the driver tried to put him in the ambulance, he was hit in the face and injured his left eye“, explained Natalia.
The driver was examined in an eye department, where an eyeball injury was found. He was then examined in forensic medicine, complaining of a severe headache.
The doctors requested assistance from the police. The Ministry of Interior - Pernik stated that the patient had grabbed the ambulance driver in the cheek area.
“Assistive devices such as handcuffs are used only when detained for a period of up to 24 hours and if there is evidence of a crime. The convoy of people is carried out with specialized vehicles, not ambulances, they said.
However, the patient's relatives have filed a complaint against the medical team with allegations of “aggressive and inhumane treatment“.
According to data from the Bulgarian Medical Union, over 2,000 medics in the country have already been victims of physical aggression by patients, and over 385,000 Bulgarians have witnessed such events.
Among the main reasons cited are a lack of respect for doctors, emotional stress and the use of alcohol and drugs.