Doctors at Jharkhand's Dhanbad Medical College hold strike after colleague assaulted

IANS April 10, 2025 165 views

A tragic incident at Shaheed Nirmal Mahato Medical College in Dhanbad escalated when a young girl died after snake bite treatment. Her relatives physically assaulted a senior resident doctor, prompting a complete medical services shutdown. Doctors demanded legal action and better security, highlighting the growing vulnerability of medical professionals. After negotiations, hospital services gradually resumed by Thursday afternoon.

"Doctors demanded immediate FIR and arrest of those involved in the assault" - Hospital Source
Dhanbad, April 10: Medical services at the government-run Shaheed Nirmal Mahato Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH) in Jharkhand's Dhanbad were severely hit for over eight hours on Thursday as doctors went on a strike after a senior resident doctor was assaulted by relatives of a deceased patient, officials said.

Key Points

1

Snake bite patient's death triggers violent confrontation with medical staff

2

Doctors halt emergency services demanding safety measures

3

Hospital services suspended for over eight hours

4

Medical college superintendent resolves strike through negotiations

In protest against the assault, doctors at the hospital went on strike from 2 a.m., leading to a complete shutdown of emergency services in the hospital.

According to the hospital, the incident occurred late Wednesday night when a young girl, admitted to the paediatric department following a snake bite, died during treatment.

The girl’s family, blaming medical negligence, created a commotion and physically assaulted the senior resident on duty.

Soon after, other doctors at the hospital, expressing outrage over the incident, halted all medical services, including in the emergency department.

Even critically ill patients were not admitted during this period, and many had to return without receiving treatment.

OPD services were also impacted for several hours in the morning on Thursday.

The striking doctors demanded the immediate registration of an FIR and the arrest of those involved in the assault.

They also raised concerns about the rising number of violent incidents targeting medical personnel and insisted that adequate security arrangements be put in place at the hospital.

Officials from the Saraidhela police station reached the hospital shortly after the incident and managed to bring the situation under control by pacifying the agitated people. However, the doctors refused to return to work until assurances of safety were given.

It was only after Medical College Superintendent Dr D.K. Gindourian intervened and held discussions with the striking doctors that services gradually resumed. By afternoon on Thursday, normalcy was restored across all departments in the hospital.

The incident once again highlighted the growing vulnerability of medical professionals to violence and sparked fresh concerns over the need for stronger legal safeguards and hospital security measures.

Reader Comments

P
Priya K.
This is absolutely unacceptable! Doctors work tirelessly to save lives and don't deserve this kind of treatment. 😡 The government needs to implement stricter laws to protect healthcare workers immediately.
R
Rahul S.
While violence is never justified, I do think hospitals need better communication protocols when tragedies occur. Families in grief need compassion and clear explanations, not just medical jargon.
A
Anjali M.
Snake bites are extremely dangerous and time-sensitive. The doctors probably did their best in this emergency situation. My heart goes out to the child's family, but attacking medical staff helps no one.
V
Vikram P.
The strike was justified but I worry about the patients who suffered because of it. There has to be a better way to protest while still providing emergency care. Maybe rotating shifts for protests?
S
Sunita R.
As someone who lost a family member to a snake bite last year, I understand the pain. But we never blamed the doctors - they worked miracles to keep him alive for 3 days. More security in hospitals is definitely needed though!
A
Amit D.
Why aren't there proper security personnel in government hospitals? Every time I visit SNMMCH, I see only 1-2 guards for the entire building. This incident was waiting to happen. 😞

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Tags:
Medical Strike Hospital Violence Jharkhand Healthcare Doctor Safety Dhanbad Medical College
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