FAIMA condemns alleged attack on doctor in Thane’s KDMC hospital, seeks action within 24 hours | Today’s news
The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has strongly condemned the alleged attack on doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers at the civic-run Shastrinagar Hospital in Maharashtra and called for strict action against those responsible.
Describing the incident at the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) hospital as “deeply unfortunate”, Dr Rohan Krishnan, chief patron of FAIMA, said doctors across the country continue to work under constant fear, ANI reported.
He said increasing cases of violence, harassment and mental stress had also contributed to the rise in cases of depression and suicide among doctors, adding that no country could expect its health workers to serve selflessly while remaining vulnerable to physical attacks and humiliation.
According to ANI, Dr Krishnan said that doctors cannot be held responsible for systemic deficiencies such as absence of ICU beds, inadequate infrastructure or administrative constraints. According to him, resorting to violence against healthcare workers is completely unacceptable and must require the strictest legal action.
FAIMA seeks swift government action
Describing the incident as an attack on the health system itself, FAIMA warned that unless strict and exemplary measures are taken, such attacks will continue to demoralize the medical fraternity and ultimately affect patient care across the country.
The organization called on the Maharashtra government to take decisive action within 24 hours and send a clear signal that violence against doctors and health workers will not be tolerated under any circumstances., FLIGHT reported.
The statement comes days after an alleged attack at Shastrinagar Hospital in Dombivli left two doctors, two nurses and two female employees injured, sparking outrage in the medical community.
According to hospital officials, the incident started after doctors advised the family to transfer the newborn to another hospital as the Shastrinagar hospital lacks a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The family reportedly contacted local Shiv Sena (Shinde) corporator Ramesh Mhatre, who arrived at the hospital with supporters after his calls to the hospital authorities reportedly went unanswered. He allegedly forced his way onto the premises before verbally assaulting and physically assaulting staff.
The alleged assault was caught on the hospital’s CCTV cameras and the footage has been included in the ongoing investigation.
Following the alleged attack, doctors and nurses at Shastrinagar and Rukminibai Hospitals launched an indefinite boycott of routine services, disrupting outpatient departments while emergency care continued to function.
The Kalyan and Dombivli branches of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have also demanded strict legal action against those involved. The local doctors’ association has demanded immediate registration of an FIR naming the accused corporator.
