Chandigarh: Emergency services at PGIMER were suspended for nearly three hours on Monday evening after resident doctors went on strike to protest the alleged harassment of a fellow doctor.
This protest comes as junior doctors in Kolkata continue their strike following the rape and murder of a doctor on duty at a state-run hospital. In another recent case on October 3, a doctor was fatally shot by two teenagers at a private clinic in Delhi.
The altercation at PGIMER began when a patient’s attendant, claiming to be a social media creator, filmed videos inside the ward, criticizing sanitation and other issues. A confrontation ensued between her brother and a doctor, leading to the doctor being physically assaulted. According to reports, the attendant also livestreamed the incident, verbally abusing doctors. During the scuffle, some windowpanes in the emergency ward were broken.
The assault triggered outrage among the medical staff, leading the resident doctors to halt their duties and gather at the institute’s main hall, demanding immediate action against the attacker. In a formal complaint to the police, they called for strict measures to ensure the safety of healthcare workers.
As the strike unfolded, the emergency ward descended into chaos. Critically ill patients were left unattended, with one 30-year-old woman’s condition worsening significantly due to the lack of timely medical intervention. She was placed on a ventilator, but her condition remained critical.
Later that night, PGI director Dr. Vivek Lal announced that the strike had ended and services had resumed. However, patients continued to wait outside the emergency ward until 11:50 p.m. A PGI spokesperson confirmed that the incident occurred at 8:40 p.m., and the matter was reported to the PGI Police Post, Sector 12, with a request for an FIR. Sector 11 SHO Jaiveer Rana arrived at the scene but declined to comment.
