HYDERABAD: Around 500 junior doctors of OGH and its affiliated hospitals boycotted elective services on Monday in protest against the attack on two junior doctors and one duty doctor allegedly by the attendants of a woman patient on Sunday evening.
The protesting house surgeons and junior doctors said they were boycotting elective duties in protest against the incident and also against the “unsafe” working conditions at the hospital. They want the security to be beefed up at all vulnerable areas in the hospital such as Intensive Medical Care (IMC). The protesters held a demonstration shouting slogans. “If we do not receive any response in the next three days, we will boycott emergency services too,” said a protesting junior doctor.
They submitted a list of sensitive points in the hospital where attacks are usually reported. “Apart from the Intensive Medical Care (IMC), we listed Acute Medical Care (AMC), Minor Operation Theatre (MOT), Acute Surgical Care (ASC), Post Operative Ward (POD) and others,” they said.
OGH superintendent Dr GVS Moorthy said that he had written to the Telangana Special Protection Force (SPF) to deploy more personnel at the hospital.
As of now, four SPF personnel are posted at the hospital, and they usually stay guard at the out-patient block where Acute Medical Care and other units are located.
“We sought the help of the police to know if there are gadgets which can be placed in the sensitive points in the hospital and raise alarm with police and hospital administration. As of now, the security personnel are posted at some points as a temporary measure,” Moorthy said, adding that they would install additional CCTVs.
Besides, a three-member committee was formed to probe the attack on doctors and they will submit a report in three days. “I request people not to become emotional and attack doctors or health staff. If they have any complaint, they can approach the hospital administration,” he said. Meanwhile, police officers inspected the hospital. In the evening, they held a meeting with the hospital superintendent over the security arrangements.
“The security arrangement will be overhauled. SPF, private security and outpost police will patrol the hospital every hour. A register will be placed which will be signed by junior doctors about the police patrolling,” Sultan Bazaar ACP G Chakrawarthy said.