Accused of assaulting junior, Kalwa hospital doctor sent on 30-day leave

The doctor had on Friday, while walking through the hospital corridor, slapped a resident doctor over admission-related queries, prompting the resident doctors at the hospital to submit a written complaint to the dean

Thane: A day prior to the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) holding its first townhall with resident doctors over escalating conflicts with seniors, a senior doctor at the Thane Municipal Corporation-run Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa was sent on compulsory leave for 30 days on Saturday over allegations of assault and abuse on a resident doctor.

Thane, India - April 5, 2018:Kalwa Hospital, The corporation is set to introduce the new Hospital management system ,India, on Thursday, April 05, 2018. (Photo by Praful Gangurde/ Hindustan Times)

The doctor had on Friday, while walking through the hospital corridor, slapped a resident doctor over admission-related queries, prompting the resident doctors at the hospital to submit a written complaint to the dean.

“The senior doctor has been doing regular and repeated inhuman acts. All of us have been physically and verbally abused on a daily basis, to such an extent that we are unable to carry out our departmental duties to the best of our abilities,” they stated in the letter.

The incident occurred close on the heels of resident doctors in south Mumbai’s JJ Hospital going on mass leave over allegations of harassment and abuse by a head of department.

Taking serious note of Friday’s incident, the Thane municipal commissioner asked the hospital’s dean to prepare a report immediately. The report, submitted on Saturday afternoon, mentioned that the administration had sent the senior doctor on compulsory leave for 30 days and his charge had been handed over to another senior doctor.

But resident doctors were not satisfied with the action. “While we were expecting more stringent action, he has merely been sent on forced leave. We will request the authorities to look into the matter,” said a resident doctor.