PGI emergency services suspended for nearly 3 hrs after assault on doctor

Emergency services at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) remained suspended for nearly three hours on Monday evening after resident doctors went on strike to protest the alleged harassment of a fellow doctor in the department.

The incident comes amid the ongoing strike by junior doctors in Kolkata who are protesting against the incident wherein a doctor on night shift was raped and murdered at a state-run hospital in the state. In another shocking incident on October 3, two teenagers had shot dead a doctor at a private nursing home in Delhi after getting treatment.

The PGI incident occurred when a senior resident from the medicine department was attending to a female patient in the emergency ward.

The patient’s attendant, who claims to be a social media creator, was allegedly shooting some videos inside the ward, speaking of her dissatisfaction with sanitation and other issues, which is said to have led to an altercation. An argument eventually broke out between her brother and the doctor after which one of the attendants allegedly physically assaulted and slapped the doctor. In a video that the attendant livestreamed, she was also seen abusing the doctors.

Some windowpanes at the emergency ward were also broken in the altercation.

The assault sparked widespread outrage among the medical fraternity, prompting resident doctors to halt their duties immediately. The protesting doctors gathered at the institute’s main hall, demanding swift action against the attendant involved in the incident.

In a written complaint submitted to the police, the doctors demanded strict action against the attacker to ensure safety for healthcare workers at the institute.

With the doctors on strike, the emergency ward was left in chaos with attendants of critically ill patients pleading for help and no doctors available to respond.

The situation took a grim turn when the health condition of a 30-year-old female patient, who had been undergoing treatment in the emergency ward for several days, deteriorated rapidly. As her vitals began to fail, her family blamed the lack of timely intervention from doctors for her deteriorating health. The patient was put on a ventilator minutes later, but her condition remains critical.

Later at night, PGI director, Dr Vivek Lal said the strike has been called off. “Things are normal and under control. The doctors are back to service,” he said.

Despite Dr Lal’s assurance, patients were seen waiting outside the emergency till 11:50 pm.

A statement issued by the PGI spokesperson read: “On October 7, 2024, around 8. 40pm, an altercation occurred between a resident doctor and an attendant in Hall C of the Emergency Complex, briefly disrupting services. The incident was promptly reported to the PGI Police Post, Sector 12, with a request for filing an institutional FIR against the attendant of the patient.

Sector 11 station house officer (SHO) Jaiveer Rana reached the spot but refused to comment on the matter.