Change patients' mindset

Comment on "Slaying of doctor 'stresses need for enhanced security'" (China Daily, Feb 18)

Several cases of patients attacking medical staff have been in the news recently. I feel so sorry and angry about these tragedies, and think such vicious crimes are totally intolerable. Such assaults on medial workers show severe contradictions exist between medical staff and patients and their families. To some extent, medical staff have become innocent victims of China's medical treatment problems. Even if the attitude of some doctors and nurses toward patients leaves something to be desired, that's not an excuse for breaking the law.

In many of the cases reported by the media, the medical staff that were injured or even killed did nothing wrong. "I want revenge because they are unable to cure me" can't be justification for criminal behavior. We should change people's mindset to avoid such tragedies. Our current medical system has many problems and the public complains a lot, but that does not mean doctors and nurses should be held responsible for the system's failings.

Many medical staff feel unsafe at work, and reports show that many of them are unwilling to send their children to medical school. If people choose not to study medicine because being a doctor or nurse has become a high-risk profession, it will only harm the public.

XUE MINGMING, via e-mail

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