Maharashtra doctors body demands better security in hospitals

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) made the demand a day after a resident doctor was assaulted by a mob of 20-25 people inside a government medical college in Akola following the death of a patient

Mumbai: A day after a resident doctor was assaulted by a patient’s relatives in a government medical college (GMC) in Akola, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) on Saturday demanded that the medical education commissioner provide enhanced security measures at the earliest across all medical colleges in the state.

HT Image

According to MARD, on Friday, a resident doctor from the surgery department of the GMC was attacked by a mob of 20-25 people inside the hospital with slippers and rods after their patient was declared dead. “He was a haemophilia patient. Despite receiving the best care, the doctors could not save him. Blaming the doctor for the death and assault is unfair. On April 19, another resident doctor from the paediatric department of the same hospital was assaulted,” said a resident doctor.

While the hospital has filed a police complaint after the incident, MARD said the medical education department needs to take the safety of doctors seriously, as this is the eighth incident in the last year.

“This act of violence against a member of the medical community is unacceptable, and we strongly condemn it,” Dr Abhijit Hedge, president of Central MARD, said. “The incident has yet again highlighted the vulnerability of doctors while delivering their service to the patients.”

Dr Sarbik De, vice president of Central MARD, said repeated incidents of assault on resident doctors also disrupt the academic environment apart from patient care.

“In recent times, there have been several reports of security breaches and incidents that have raised concerns about the safety of students, faculty, and staff within the premises of our medical institutions. These incidents not only threaten the physical well-being of individuals but also disrupt the academic environment, which is crucial for the nurturing of future medical professionals,” he said.

MARD said that every time there is an incident of assault on resident doctors, and they call a strike, the medical education department adds a few more security personnel in the hospital where the incident had happened and installs extra CCTV surveillance.

“The number of security guards in the medical colleges does not justify safeguarding and the attacks being stopped. We demand a broader policy that will be detrimental to any future attacks on doctors/healthcare workers working in medical colleges,” said Dr De.

In its demand to the medical education department, MARD said the need for a secure and safe educational setting is paramount. “We believe that it is the administration’s responsibility to ensure that robust security measures are in place. We have been highlighting the same in all our meetings with the authorities,” said Dr Hedge.

Officials from the Directorate of Medical Education and Research said they are working on strengthening security in all medical colleges.

Meanwhile, after a nurse was assaulted at the civic-run Khan Bahadur Bhabha Hospital, Kurla, on Wednesday night, the corporation has decided to increase security and introduce a pass system in its peripheral hospitals. “We are working on increasing security and implementing a pass system for the relatives of patients to avoid an incident like this,” said Dr. Chandrakant Pawar, chief medical superintendent, of peripheral hospitals, BMC.