Gandhi Hospital Junior Doctors Protest After Assault Allegation
A meeting is underway, with the Director of Medical Education speaking to the doctors on duty, the attendant involved in the incident, and the Gandhi Hospital superintendent
Hyderabad: Junior doctors at Gandhi Hospital staged a protest on Monday and boycotted regular duties, except emergency services, after a first-year postgraduate student from the General Medicine department was allegedly attacked by a patient attendant on Sunday evening.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, the first-year female postgraduate doctor on duty during the incident said the altercation began when a female attendant repeatedly approached doctors to check her mother’s glucose levels because the patient wanted to eat a cookie.
“The attendant is alleging that PG doctors are touching patients. How can doctors, irrespective of gender, avoid touching patients while examining them? Bring in such technologies if that is possible,” the doctor said.
“The attendant was recording videos, but initially we ignored it. One of our PGs checked the glucose levels three times and informed her. However, she again came while recording videos. Our PG then took her mobile phone and handed it over to the nurse after repeatedly asking her not to record videos inside the ward. As he took the phone, she slapped him so hard that his spectacles broke and he sustained scratches on his head,” the doctor alleged.
The postgraduate doctor later approached Chilkalguda Police Station, where a case was registered. Doctors claimed that police sought CCTV footage, but there were no cameras installed in the ward.
“Last year too, we protested demanding security and CCTV cameras. Attendants should not record videos or photographs of doctors. There is inadequate security and the existing personnel are unable to stop such incidents,” the protesting doctors said.
They further alleged that despite years of medical education and stressful working conditions, attendants often abuse doctors and post allegations on social media while tagging senior officials, including the Chief Minister and Health Minister.
Meanwhile, the patient attendant posted her version of the incident on X, alleging that the duty doctor physically assaulted her while her 65-year-old mother, admitted with a recurrent ischemic stroke, was undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital.
In the post, the attendant alleged that the duty doctor mistook her video call with a relative for video recording, shouted at her, forcibly snatched her phone, twisted her hand causing injury, and pushed her against a wall. She further claimed that two other doctors joined the argument and spoke harshly to her.
The attendant also raised concerns over the absence of CCTV cameras in the ward and demanded immediate suspension of the doctors involved, installation of CCTV cameras across all government hospitals, strict action against alleged misconduct by medical staff, and a time-bound police investigation into the incident.
The post stated that the family was already dealing with overcrowded wards, delayed ambulance services, and inadequate infrastructure, and alleged that the incident had left them traumatised.
Meanwhile, a meeting is underway, with the Director of Medical Education speaking to the doctors on duty, the attendant involved in the incident, and the Gandhi Hospital superintendent.
