Doctors, patients under siege

OPPORTUNISTIC criminals posing as patients have struck at several northern Durban surgeries in the past week, terrorising doctors and leaving them in fear of deception. Armed robbers, believed to be part of a syndicate, held staff and patients hostage at three surgeries. Dr Rukesh Balgobind of Avoca said four men entered his surgery last Wednesday afternoon for a consultation. “They sat in the waiting room with another patient. After a few minutes they came into my consulting room, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at my receptionist, who was with me. “They demanded valuables and took two laptops, medical equipment, including my blood sugar and cholesterol testing machines, wallet containing R3 500 cash, watch and my car.” The family practitioner said the robbers appeared nervous. “They kept demanding more money and rummaged through my drawers but fled when they couldn’t find anything else.” His A Class Mercedes-Benz was later recovered in KwaMashu. A similar incident took place on Friday at Dr Udashan Covenden’s surgery at the Green Cross Medical Centre in Lenham Drive, Phoenix. Glen Naidoo, of the private security company KZN VIP, said the suspects pointed guns at the doctor and patients, who were robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing in a black bakkie. Days earlier, Dr Abdul Karim’s surgery in Allingstone Crescent, Avoca, which is a road away from Covenden’s, was hit. Karim’s daughter, Fehmida, an optician at the surgery, said two men entered at around 11am and enquired about a consultation and operating hours. “My dad was scheduled to come in at 2pm and sees his last patient at 5.30pm. We told them and they said they would return later, which they did,” said Fehmida. “They arrived just before we could close and made out a card. Since we work on a number system, they had to wait.” The neatly dressed duo, she said, walked up to the receptionist about 15 minutes later, pointed a gun at her and demanded to know where the safe was. “They shouted at her to raise her hands and move away from her desk. They somehow knew there was a panic button under the table.” The men showed the receptionist the bullets and followed her through the premises to get to valuables and the safe. The patients were robbed of cash and cellphones before being locked in her father’s prayer room. Her father was dealing with a patient while this was happening. He only realised what was going on when they entered the consulting room. “They shoved him and the patient into the prayer room before they left. Only when they were sure the men were gone did they call for help.” Someone heard their cries and freed them. Apart from valuables, about R10 000 in cash was taken. Fehmida’s father, who has been in practice for 30 years, said they were considering installing CCTV cameras and a buzzer at the front gate. She said her father could not reserve the right of admission. “His job is to help people and we cannot profile people in an attempt to make us feel safer.” The doctors say they have taken the Hippocratic oath to uphold professional ethical standards and cannot turn away patients seeking help. “The nature of our job is to help people. We have taken a vow to do this and this principle leaves us at the mercy of the public,” said Balgobind. He said this was a perfect example of doctors being soft targets. “It is our duty to treat any person off the street. We can never turn away anyone in need of medical assistance. We are therefore left open to deception and manipulation. “I have a security guard on duty, cameras and a security system and was still robbed. I don’t know what more we can do.” He, however, plans to install more CCTV cameras and a recording device. Facebook user Brenda Naidoo wrote: “What is this world coming to if you go for treatment to save your life and these criminals want to rob you of even that? They are sick individuals.” According to a police source, a similar modus operandi was used in all three incidents, which could mean the involvement of a syndicate. Police are investigating. No arrests have been made.