Niloufer Hospital 2nd year PG medico assaulted; doctors demand special protection force deployment

Hyderabad: In a disturbing incident that has highlighted fresh concerns over the safety of healthcare workers, a second-year postgraduate (PG) resident doctor at Niloufer Hospital was allegedly assaulted by attendants of a child while on duty in the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU).

According to the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA), the incident occurred after a child who had been shifted from the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU) to an isolation ward during the recovery phase began crying excessively. Earlier in the evening of June 7, the duty doctor had examined the child and counselled the family members regarding the child's condition.

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Despite the doctor's explanation, five attendants—including two men and three women—reportedly entered the restricted RICU area. Although the child was experiencing only minimal distress, the resident doctor decided to shift the child back to the RICU as a precautionary measure to ensure closer monitoring and patient safety.  

The doctor subsequently asked the attendants to leave the restricted care area and permitted only the child’s mother to remain, in accordance with ICU protocols. However, instead of complying with the instructions, the attendants allegedly assaulted the resident doctor, said a representative of Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA).

The incident has drawn strong reactions from medical bodies across the country. In a recent post on X, Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, National Spokesperson of FAIMA India, condemned the attack, stating, “THIS MUST STOP. A Resident Doctor at Niloufer Hospital, Hyderabad, was assaulted by five attendants while on duty. Every attack on a doctor is an attack on healthcare itself.”

The Osmania Junior Doctors Association (OJDA) also expressed concerns over the hospital's emergency response mechanisms, alleging that doctors on duty were unable to immediately contact the police because the Resident Medical Officer (RMO) helpline was reportedly not functioning at the time.

Condemning the assault, the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA), Telangana, strongly condemned the assault, stating that the resident doctor had acted solely in the interest of patient safety and in accordance with established ICU protocols. The association described the attack as unacceptable and called for strict action against those responsible.

The Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association (TSRDA) also denounced the incident and stressed the need for stronger security arrangements in government hospitals. The association advocated for the deployment of Special Protection Force (SPF) personnel at strategic locations within major hospitals to prevent such incidents and ensure a rapid response when healthcare workers face threats or violence.

Following the incident, junior doctors have demanded the immediate registration of a criminal case against the alleged perpetrators and called for stringent legal action under all applicable laws designed to protect healthcare professionals from workplace violence.

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