Female Junior Doctor Assaulted After Declaring Patient Dead
Patna: A shocking incident of violence erupted at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) when a female junior doctor and other on-duty doctors were physically assaulted and verbally abused by the relatives of a deceased patient. The confrontation began after the doctors informed the family of the patient’s death.
Previous Incident Adds to Rising Tension
Just days earlier, another doctor was allegedly punched on the head during a dispute over a blood sample investigation. These back-to-back assaults triggered massive unrest among PMCH’s medical staff.
Junior Doctors’ Association Calls for Complete Shutdown
Following repeated attacks, the Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) at PMCH launched an indefinite strike, suspending all major services—Emergency, OPD, IPD, and both elective and emergency OTs.
The JDA said the strike will continue until strong and visible security measures are enforced.
Altercation Sparked After 70-Year-Old Patient’s Death
The latest incident occurred on December 3, after a 70-year-old patient with a history of brain haemorrhage and hypertension died. While the family alleged medical negligence, the doctors insist they had repeatedly informed them of the critical condition and low chances of survival.
Conflicting Claims from Family and Doctors
The deceased’s son alleged that doctors attacked them using helmets, sticks, and rods, claiming the family only requested a recheck of the body. Doctors, however, countered that the relatives began abusing and assaulting the medical staff when informed of the death.
Junior doctor Dr. Ritika told IANS that the female attendant verbally abused a female intern, and the abuse escalated when the matter was reported to a resident doctor.
JDA Demands Immediate Security Reforms
In a strongly worded statement, JDA condemned the attacks, calling them a serious threat to the safety and dignity of healthcare workers. They accused hospital security of failing to intervene and claimed repeated requests for better security had been ignored.
Their demands include:
- Comprehensive security arrangements across all PMCH departments
- Automatic Institutional FIRs in all violence-related incidents
- Stricter legal action against perpetrators of violence in hospitals
Doctors Say Working Under Threat is Impossible
Members of the association told TOI that doctors have been threatened with death, abused, and physically attacked.
“How can a doctor work in such an environment?” one member asked, recalling an incident where a neuro OT doctor was punched for refusing an unauthorized demand.
Patients Forced to Seek Care Elsewhere
The strike has caused severe inconvenience for patients. Many had to turn to other hospitals. One patient told IANS, “There is swelling in my hand, and I came to PMCH for treatment. But today I found out there is a strike, and no doctors are available.”
The situation remains tense as junior doctors stand firm on their demands, insisting that medical care cannot continue under constant threat and violence.
