Medical officers and para-medical staff from the Civil Hospital and ESI Hospital staged a protest on Monday to condemn the recent violent attack on Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Dr. Sunil Bhagat, who sustained injuries and had to be hospitalized.
Health workers, including doctors, gathered to protest the assault on Dr. Bhagat, demanding increased security measures to protect medical professionals. PCMS Association State President Dr. Akhil Sareen and General Secretary Dr. Vaninder Riar participated in the demonstration held at the Civil Hospital gate.
Similar gate rallies were organized across public health institutions in the state to highlight the escalating incidents of violence against medical personnel and to urge the government to address the issue.
Speaking to the media, Dr. Sareen disclosed that a delegation of PCMS doctors had met with State Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, who assured them of implementing a district-level grievance redressal system and enhancing security at district hospitals through police and outsourced staff. The minister also agreed to prohibit videography within hospital premises and emphasized that in case of any future incidents, the head of the institution would be responsible for registering an FIR and conducting an institutional inquiry.
Dr. Sareen warned that if the government fails to fulfill its commitments, the association would be compelled to take strict actions.
Civil Surgeon of Hoshiarpur, Dr. Balwinder Damana, confirmed that the government is bearing all medical expenses for Dr. Bhagat’s treatment, as his condition remains critical. Dr. Bhagat, posted at ESI Hospital, suffered a brain hemorrhage after falling during a scuffle with a patient’s attendant on April 18. The accused has been arrested, and an attempt to murder case has been registered against him by the police. Dr. Bhagat is currently undergoing treatment at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana.