Punjab Civil Medical Services Association demands protection of medical fraternity

Patiala: Reflecting on the disturbing rise in cases involving doctors' assault, the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association submitted a memorandum to the Patiala Civil Surgeon demanding a safer working environment for the medical fraternity.  

They demanded the deployment of security personnel at all health centres for ensuring the safety of on-duty doctors. The association observed, "Effective patrolling should be carried out during the night time to deter the incidents of violence against the doctors."

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The Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), last month, had asked the SSPs and CPs in the state to ensure the availability of proper security in all the government hospitals. 

Despite these orders, the reality is starkly different as medical staff continues to get assaulted. The association submitted the demand after getting affected by the disturbing rise in doctors' assault cases, reports Tribune India. 

A doctor observed that these rising cases of violence against medical professionals, particularly doctors are a disturbing trend. Another doctor said that the doctors were hesitant to join government departments because of such an unsafe working environment in government hospitals. 

Few days back, Medical Dialogues team had reported that the medical fraternity in Punjab had expressed their anger after a doctor at Phagwara civil hospital was assaulted over the death of a teenager who succumbed to his injuries in the hospital after being hit by a train. The doctors and para-medical staff belonging to the Civil Hospital went on a strike on 12th November following the assault on the Emergency Medical Officer by the relatives of the teenager, which was reported by the Medical Dialogues team.

Following their strike which lasted around eight hours, doctors of civil hospitals in neighbouring areas, including Bholath, Sultanpur Lodhi and Kapurthala, also suspended their work for sometime in solidarity with their colleagues in Phagwara. The video of the incident was shared by a doctor on Twitter and in the video, it could be seen that the doctor was surrounded by several people who were slapping him and assaulting him in all possible ways.

Also Read:Punjab shocker: Doctor brutally assaulted after death of road accident victim