Surgeon suspended after going on a hate-filled, homophobic rant about a patient while he was operating on him
If the complaint against the surgeon is proved true, he could face “harsh sanctions”. (Envato)
An Italian surgeon has been suspended after he was accused of going on a vile homophobic rant about an anaesthetised patient he was operating on.
The surgeon works at a Cittiglio hospital in the Italian province of Varese, and he allegedly made the comments on March 25, when Italy had been plunged into crisis by the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Varese News, while the patient was undergoing an operation, the surgeon allegedly said: “It is not fair that during this period of emergency I should have to waste time operating on these faggots.”
A hospital employee who was also in the operating theatre asked the homophobic surgeon if he had something against gay people, at which point the surgeon ordered him to leave the room.
Giovanni Boschini, the president of Arcigay Varese, a charity which ensures the wellbeing and visibility of LGBT+ people in the Italian provinces of Varese and Como, said: “We want to thank those who submitted the complaint and did not remain indifferent to this intolerable act of homophobia.
“All our solidarity goes to the patient involved.
“In addition to the penalties, it would also be useful to start a training course and for this reason we are available to collaborate with the hospital for diversity education courses , so that no other patient can experience a similar mishap again.”
According to Explica, the complaint has been submitted to the Varese Medical Association, which is currently carrying out an investigation.
The complaint states that the other healthcare workers in the operating theatre were left “stupefied and astonished at so much verbal violence”.
Filippo Agnelli, president of the Italian Federation of Surgeons, said that if the complaint is proved true the surgeon could face “harsh sanctions”.
He added: “If this case turns out to be true, it is extremely serious. We understand that some doctors may suffer from exhaustion from COVID but that is no excuse.”
At this time, the hospital has not released a statement.
