VIDEO: Aier China doctor punches 82-year-old female patient enraging netizens

Authorities in China are investigating a hospital incident in which a surgeon is said to have punched the patient he was operating on this week as per the released video.

The video became popular on Chinese social media, inciting outcry on the internet.

The CEO of the hospital where the 2019 incident occurred was fired, and the surgeon was placed on suspension by the hospital's parent company, Aier China.

Aier China has been approached by the BBC for comment.

While performing eye surgery, the patient seems to be hit in the head at least three times by the surgeon, as shown in the video.

"During the surgery, the patient had intolerance due to local anaesthesia," the 82-year-old stated. They claimed that she made many head and eyeball movements.

The surgeon "treated the patient roughly in an emergency" because the patient could only communicate in a dialect of the area and did not seem to understand the Mandarin cautions from the doctor. According to the local authorities, the patient's forehead was bruised.

The patient's son told local media sources that following the procedure, the hospital's management apologised and gave 500 yuan ($70, £55) as compensation. In addition, he mentioned that his mother's left eye is now blind, however, it's unclear if this is related to the occurrence.