28-year-old Sion Hospital doctor dies by suicide after reported struggles with workload

MUMBAI: A 28-year-old first-year postgraduate resident doctor pursuing an MD in General Surgery at Sion Hospital was found dead in his hostel bathroom on Saturday evening in a suspected suicide

MUMBAI: A 28-year-old first-year postgraduate resident doctor pursuing an MD in General Surgery at Sion Hospital was found dead in his hostel bathroom on Saturday evening in a suspected suicide. The death has led the hospital to launch an internal inquiry, as the victim had complained of heavy workload and long working hours.

The Sion police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and are recording statements from the deceased doctor’s classmates and colleagues to ascertain the circumstances leading to his death. Preliminary findings suggest that he may have injected himself with an anaesthetic agent. Two vials containing propofol and fentanyl were reportedly found in the bathroom near the commode, hospital dean Dr Pramod Ingale told HT. No suicide note has been found, leaving the exact circumstances and possible triggers unclear. The police are awaiting the post-mortem report to establish the cause of death.

The doctor’s body was discovered around 7pm after he failed to emerge from the bathroom for an extended period. When a colleague knocked on the door and received no response, security guards were summoned to break the door open. The doctor was found unconscious inside and was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead upon arrival. The colleague alerted the dean, who informed the police.

According to the police, the doctor had allegedly complained of excessive workload and prolonged fatigue. However, the hospital said that he had been struggling to settle into the city and the postgraduate course, and that steps had been taken to support him.

“The student himself was counselled after issues with his integration. He was also granted leave in order to help him rejuvenate. Hand-holding had been done by the college for him,” Dr Ingale told HT, adding that his father had also been called to the college earlier.

Although National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines restrict resident doctors to a 48-hour workweek, a standard reinforced by regional directives and Supreme Court petitions, it is seldom enforced, especially in high-volume public facilities like Sion Hospital.

The doctor, who hailed from a neighbouring state, was new to Mumbai and had reportedly been out of touch with fellow hostel residents since a day before his death, the dean said. Dr Ingale maintained that academic grades were not a source of pressure, as postgraduate students appear directly for their final examinations. He added that the transition from the theory-oriented MBBS course to hands-on clinical experience could be difficult for some students. “The workload had considerably eased out in the past month and a half in the general surgery department,” he said.

The hospital management has decided to review its administrative procedures and identify gaps in student support to prevent similar incidents. Dr Ingale said the medical college conducts induction and sensitisation sessions, while some non-governmental organisations also organise sessions for students. However, integrating large numbers of students into campus life remains a challenge.

Every year, more than 650 fresh students join the medical college campus. It currently has over 2,000 students, including 660 medical postgraduate students, 1,000 undergraduate students, around 300 nursing students and about 100 super-speciality students, the dean said.

On Sunday, MARD representatives met the hospital dean, the head of the General Surgery department, the deceased doctor’s friends, faculty members and others to examine the circumstances that may have contributed to his death.

“Public hospitals have become so overwhelmed of late with huge patient loads, resulting in heavy workloads on resident doctors. There have been instances of doctors working for 36 hours at a stretch, which is inhuman. The National Medical Commission should look into this and regularise working hours of resident doctors,” said Dr Rutuja Raut, president of the BMC MARD.

The incident is the second reported suicide involving a resident doctor at a Mumbai civic hospital in recent months. A doctor from JJ Hospital died by suicide on May 12 this year.