Assaulting doctors to now invite stricter penalty

New Delhi: Three days after a doctor was physically assaulted by a patient and her attendant at the Maharishi Valmiki Hospital, the Delhi government on Wednesday decided that whenever any instance of assault on resident doctors is reported, an institutional FIR will be registered by the hospital.

The decision was taken after a meeting between the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) and health department officials.

At least five government hospitals went on a strike after a woman patient and her attendant physically assaulted a senior resident doctor on duty on Nov. 19.

The doctors had alleged “lack of concern” on the administration’s part as there was an individual FIR registered and no institutional FIR was filed by the hospital.

On Wednesday, the government said that in this case, since the FIR has already been lodged individually by the senior resident himself, the Medical Superintendent is advised to ensure proper follow up of the FIR.

“Explanation of the chief medical officer (CMO) on duty during the time of the assault on the resident doctors should be obtained for not registering an institutional FIR,” the minutes of the meeting between FORDA and Health Department officials stated.

Maharishi Valmiki Hospital and other four hospitals which were on strike after the incident, called it off after the meeting and a plan of an indefinite strike from Thursday at all hospitals was also cancelled.

The incident was the latest in a series of assault cases by irate relatives of patients on doctors in government hospitals.

It was also decided that the Medical Superintendent should convene regular monthly meetings with the representatives of the Resident Doctors to address their grievances.

In April, the resident doctors had gone on an indefinite strike following a similar incident. This had come days after 4,000 doctors in Maharashtra went on mass casual leave after many assault cases on doctors were reported from across the state.