Chinese doctor suspended for punching an elderly woman during surgery

A doctor in China was suspended after a video showing him punching an 82-year-old patient while performing surgery on her went viral on Chinese social media and sparked outrage. 

During a surgical procedure under local anesthesia, an 82-year-old woman displayed intolerance, moving her head and eyeballs despite warnings from medical staff. 

The patient, who spoke a local dialect and couldn't comprehend Mandarin warnings, ended up with bruises on her forehead after being punched.

Subsequently, the hospital issued an apology and offered 500 yuan ($70) in compensation to the patient's son. He asserts that his mother is now blind in her left eye, and the cause remains unclear. 

The incident, which occurred in December 2019, gained public attention when Chinese doctor Ai Fen, known for raising awareness about the initial Wuhan Covid-19 outbreak, shared CCTV footage of the surgery on her Weibo account.

Aier China responded by dismissing the Guiyang hospital CEO and suspended the surgeon, who also serves as the hospital dean, citing "serious violations of the group's regulations."

The nature of these violations was unspecified, and the hospital failed to report the incident to headquarters.

Notably, Dr. Ai Fen has been embroiled in a legal dispute with Aier China since 2021, alleging she nearly lost sight in one eye after an operation at their hospital, a charge the company denies.