Female doctor assaulted by ‘intoxicated’ patient at Gandhi Hospital

Female doctor assaulted by patient at Gandhi Hospital prompts calls for increased security in government hospitals.

A female house surgeon was assaulted by a patient at the State-run Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad on Wednesday afternoon.

The doctor, who was attending to another patient in the casualty ward, was passing by when another patient in his late 40s, who was intoxicated, tried to grab her and then assaulted her. “The patient was in a delirious state (confused mental condition), and in the struggle to escape from him, the doctor’s apron was torn. Security personnel arrived soon after, prompting the patient to attempt to flee, but he was apprehended by Special Protection Force (SPF) personnel stationed at the main gate,” said Dr. M Vamshi Krishna, vice-president of the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA).

According to Dr. Vamshi, the security personnel in the casualty ward were near the entrance, checking incoming patients and attendants, which delayed their response by a few minutes. After being caught, the patient was handed over to the police at the on-site outpost, and the Chilkalguda police were subsequently informed. The incident has also been reported to the hospital Superintendent and the Resident Medical Officer (RMO).

“The Gandhi JUDA condemns the assault and calls for swift and decisive action to ensure the safety and security of medical staff and interns. The association demands a thorough investigation into the incident and measures to prevent such incidents in the future,” the association said, in a statement.

Following the recent rape and murder of a female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, there has been a significant outcry over the safety and security of doctors, particularly women, in government hospitals. In response, junior doctors across Telangana staged protests, demanding the deployment of Special Protection Force (SPF) personnel at all government hospitals in the State. The 10-day strike ended on August 23 after Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha assured them of action.

On September 2, the Health Minister held a review meeting to discuss the Supreme Court’s directives on enhancing security in government hospitals and medical colleges. The meeting, attended by senior officials from the Home and Health departments, resulted in a directive to establish permanent police outposts at all teaching hospitals.