Patient accused of fatally stabbing doctor in NE China

In Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, a hospital doctor has died in an alleged knife attack by a patient. Three other hospital staff were injured in Friday's attack, and the suspect is now in police custody. China's Health Ministry has sent condolences to the families of the dead and injured.

The bloody scene is a reminder of a cruel attack - Several days on from Friday's stabbing incident, and many are still scared by what they witnessed.

A witness said, "One doctor was stabbed in the chest, and was severely injured. There was a lot of blood on the floor. Later he was sent for treatment. "

A male patient is said to have attacked several medical staff with a knife. It left one intern doctor dead, and three other staff badly injured.

Zhang Bing, medical staff in 1st Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, said, "We helped the emergency staff stem the bleeding. The injured doctors were very nervous at that time, and we tried our best to calm them down."

The police were quickly called, with the suspect later arrested before he could leave the building. The suspect is alleged to have said that he was provoked by the "terrible attitude" of those treating him.

But witnesses and police dispute his story. A policeman said, "The suspect came to the hospital seeking treatment for rheumatism. The doctor told him to treat his lung first, and then come back later for treatment."

Health Minister Chen Zhu, is calling on all hospitals to tighten security, as well as boost training for doctors, with a focus on communication skills. A memorial service was held on Tuesday for the victim, attended by around a thousand friends and former colleagues.