Telangana: Osmania General Hospital Junior Doctors stage protest to condemn assault, seek security

Hyderabad: Junior doctors associated with the Osmania General Hospital staged a protest condemning the assault on a junior doctor by the bereaved relatives of a deceased patient. The protesting doctors have demanded the immediate rearrangement of the Telangana State Special Task Force (TSSPF) to ensure the safety of three medical professionals.

Taking cognizance of the fact that such incidents are becoming frequent now, the junior doctors boycotted all elective duties as part of their protest. The doctors pointed out that a GO was issued approximately three years ago by the government instructing the formation of the Telangana State Special Task Force. However, there was no further development on the issue. 

The doctors started their agitation after one of the on-duty doctors was slapped by the kin of a 65-year-old patient. As per a media report, the junior doctor was on duty at the isolation ward, and he was checking on an elderly patient who was suffering from several co-morbidities. However, her condition declined and the doctor declared her dead. After this, the bereaved relatives allegedly resorted to violence and slapped the doctor before the security guards intervened and stopped them.

Dr Shrikant Sativada, president of the Osmania Junior Doctors Association told The Indian Express, " The attack on the junior doctor is just one of many dangers that we face daily. A couple of months back, a ward boy in the gynaecology department was attacked."

The State government issued GO 130 in 2019 and sanctioned the deployment of 164 personnel in government teaching hospitals and medical health and district units. Among them personnel, 128 were to be deployed to eight government teaching hospitals in the State alone. This 128 personnel including one Inspector, three SIs, six ASIs, 16 head constables, and 102 constables, reports daily.

However, the junior doctors asserted that the GO was never put into effect. The junior doctors of OGH complained about the faulty security arrangements and sought harsh punishment for those accountable for attacks on doctors. Additionally, they asked for the formation of an active committee to conduct research and to share information accordingly regarding the modifications that may be made to the current framework to improve the security of all physicians employed by government hospitals.

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Supporting the protest, IMA MSN has also been vocal against the assault on the doctor and stated, " Violence on doctors is not acceptable anymore. Protest tomorrow at 8:30 am at Osmania General Hospital. We demand a safe work environment."