AHMEDABAD: A senior doctor at PDU Civil Hospital in Rajkot was detained on August 21 after allegedly slapping, abusing and threatening a 26 year old female resident doctor during a dispute over the treatment of a critically ill patient, triggering a protest by resident doctors and police action.
The confrontation, which took place during the resident doctor's emergency ward duty on the evening of August 20, led to anger among junior doctors and a late-night protest at the hospital.
The agitation was called off after a complaint was registered against Dr Ashwin Ramani at Pradyumnanagar Police Station, following which the resident doctors resumed their duties.
The police action intensified on August 21, when Dr Ramani was detained in connection with the complaint. The incident has also put the hospital administration under pressure, with senior officials holding discussions with resident doctors over their safety and the action to be taken against the accused doctor.
According to the complaint filed by Dr Krisha Singhala, she has been working as an R1 resident doctor in the medicine department of PDU Civil Hospital for around six months. On August 20, she was assigned a 24 hour emergency ward shift. At around 7.30 pm to 7.45 pm, an elderly patient was brought to the emergency ward in a critical condition.
Dr Krisha assessed the patient's condition and concluded that he required ventilator support. She then approached Dr Ashwin Ramani, who was on duty in the emergency ward, to discuss keeping the patient in the emergency unit.
However, according to the complaint, Dr Ramani allegedly directed that the patient be shifted to the general ward instead. When Dr Krisha again raised the issue of the patient's critical condition, the disagreement allegedly escalated into a heated confrontation.
The complaint alleges that Dr Ramani became agitated, verbally abused Dr Krisha and allegedly slapped her during the argument. He is further accused of threatening her while saying, "Your father's rule is not here, I will see you through."
The confrontation reportedly unfolded inside the emergency ward, where CCTV cameras were installed. The incident was therefore captured on surveillance footage, which could become important evidence in the investigation.
As the confrontation intensified, other hospital employees and security personnel intervened and brought the situation under control.
News of the alleged assault quickly spread among resident doctors, triggering strong resentment within the hospital. The junior doctors staged a protest late on August 20, demanding action against the accused and greater protection for doctors working in emergency areas.
The protest was eventually called off after the complaint was registered with Pradyumnanagar Police Station. The resident doctors subsequently returned to duty. The police detained Dr Ramani on August 21 as the investigation into the allegations progressed.
Dr Krisha has also alleged that this was not the first confrontation involving Dr Ramani.
According to her, she had earlier complained against the accused doctor, but no effective action was taken. The latest incident has therefore raised questions about whether timely intervention could have prevented the confrontation from escalating.
Speaking about the incident, Dr Krisha said the dispute arose from confusion and disagreement over the treatment of the patient. "There was some confusion and misunderstanding regarding the treatment of the patient. During the discussion, Dr Ashwin Ramani became agitated, used abusive language and raised his hand against me," she alleged.
She also demanded that such conduct should not be allowed inside the hospital and that appropriate action should be taken against officials who engage in misconduct.
Dr Krisha's mother, Bharati, also condemned the alleged assault and demanded strict action against the accused. "My daughter Krisha is working as an R1 resident doctor at PDU Hospital. Abusing her and attempting to assault her is completely inappropriate. I want the system to take the strictest possible action against such misconduct," she said.
The family has also demanded that the hospital ensure the safety and dignity of doctors, particularly women working in high pressure emergency departments.
The controversy has reached the state health department, with Gujarat Health Minister Praful Panseria saying the government was treating the allegations seriously.
After speaking to the victim doctor over the phone, Panseria said the government had assured her of speedy justice and security.
"The state government has taken the incident of misconduct with a female doctor at Rajkot Civil Hospital very seriously. I spoke to the victim female doctor over the phone and assured her that speedy justice would be ensured along with complete security by the evening," Panseria said.
He further made it clear that the government would not compromise on the dignity and safety of women employees and doctors.
"There will be no compromise with the dignity and respect of female employees and doctors. The strictest action will be taken against anyone found guilty of such misconduct," the minister said.
Rajkot Civil Hospital Superintendent Dr Monali Mankadia said the incident was serious and that a meeting had been convened to determine the next course of action.
"This is a serious incident and a meeting has been called today regarding it. The decision of the College Council will be taken and forwarded for further action," Mankadia said.
She added that the administration would also examine measures required to prevent similar incidents in the future.
"Action will also be taken to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future," she said.
The meeting with resident doctors is being attended by senior hospital and medical college officials, including the RMO and Medical College Dean. The discussions are expected to focus not only on action against the accused but also on strengthening mechanisms for the safety of doctors inside the hospital.
The latest controversy has also revived questions about the functioning of the hospital administration and its response to complaints involving doctors.
The fact that Dr Krisha claims to have previously complained against Dr Ramani, but alleges that no effective action followed, has become a key point of concern among resident doctors.
The administration has also faced questions over other issues at the hospital, including allegations concerning drug related activities. Against this backdrop, officials are now under pressure to demonstrate that complaints raised by doctors are dealt with promptly and that safety concerns inside the hospital do not remain unresolved.
For now, the police investigation, CCTV footage and the hospital's internal disciplinary proceedings are expected to determine the sequence of events and fix responsibility in the alleged assault case.
