Two on-duty Junior Resident Doctors manhandled by patient's kin at YCM Hospital, Colleagues call flash strike

Pune: Around 120 resident doctors of the Post Graduate Institute-Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (PGI-YCMH) in Pimpri went on a strike on Monday after two of their colleagues were allegedly assaulted by the relatives of a patient over a CT scan.

The two junior resident doctors working in the hospital's emergency department were allegedly assaulted, with one being slapped and the other being choked by the accused father-son duo after they got angry when the doctor suggested a CT scan for the patient to evaluate her injuries.

Raising their voice against the alleged violence, the doctors protested for around 20 hours starting from 9.30 am demanding the deployment of security personnel for the protection of the doctors in situations when they are allegedly manhandled or assaulted by the patient's kin.

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However, they called off their strike less than 24 hours after the hospital authorities gave them written assurances about meeting their demands as soon as possible. They immediately resumed their duties at the emergency and OPD which the senior resident doctors handled during the strike based on the request of the hospital authorities to avoid any inconvenience to the patients.

An official statement from Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) said, “After the successful strike, the MARD committee at the YCM hospital decided to resume services. Taking into consideration the patient care and written assurances given for our demands in less than 24 hours, we are for now calling off the strike completely. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Meanwhile, the Pimpri police have arrested the duo accused under sections 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"We have arrested both the accused, and they were presented in court. The court has remanded them to police custody for a day and further investigation is underway," said Ganesh Aatwe, police sub-inspector.

The strike was in response to an attack that occurred at around 12.40 am on Monday on two junior resident doctors who were on duty at the hospital's emergency department.

According to the police, an assault victim patient was brought to the hospital's emergency ward by two attendants who were identified as father and son. Upon reaching the hospital, the father-son duo asked a doctor who was attending the patient to show serious injuries on paper. However, the doctor refused to do so and suggested a CT scan for the patient to know the severity of her injuries.

This angered the duo as they refused to go for the CT scan and allegedly started assaulting the doctor. However, the matter escalated when another resident doctor intervened in the attack to resolve the issue. At that moment, the father-son duo assaulted the two doctors by slapping and choking them in the process.

Speaking to TOI, one of the assaulted doctors said, “I examined the patient, and she had a laceration that was stitched at some other hospital. One of the relatives started arguing with me after I suggested her to undergo a CT scan. Out of nowhere, he slapped me. As my colleague intervened, the relatives assaulted him as well.”

Subsequently, the doctors approached the police and registered a case against the duo in this regard. The accused are currently in police custody and an investigation is underway.

Dr Rajendra Wabale, dean, PGI-YCMH told HT, “We are making changes in the security and additional security staff will be appointed at the hospital. The help of senior resident doctors was taken to avoid inconvenience to the patients during the strike."

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