Rohit Shishoida

The President of the United Resident Doctors Association has advocated that doctors, when assaulted by violent attendants of patients, should hit back if the police does not protect them.

Recent assaults on doctors in Delhi and Bihar have infuriated resident doctors. Doctors have come to believe that the government does not take violence on them seriously due to which doctors are assaulted in health facilities again and again.

Reacting to the foul language used by the a policeman responding to a call by a health worker who sought police help over an assault on a doctor in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Dr Ankit Om, Chairman, United Resident Doctors Association, has said that if the police is not helping the doctors, doctors should also attack violent attendants of patients, in their self defense.  

“In 2017, in AIIMS, LNJP and Safdarjung hospitals, doctors were trained in taekwondo for self-defense and protection from aggravated attendants. So, make use of this technique. Why do you face assaults? Why are you beaten up time and again? This must be stopped. If police does not take your complaints seriously, then hit those who hit you,” advised Dr Om to doctors while talking to DTMT.

Dr Om said, “Doctors should stop wailing over the assault and hit anyone who assaults you in your own defense. There is nothing more important than self-protection. I am not saying that one should become violent, but asking for self protection if even the police does not listen you.”

Two doctors were assaulted on July 14, 2018, in Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini, Delhi, due to which all resident doctors of this hospital struck work for five hours. A orthopedic surgeon was hit by a mob in Bihar after the a death of  a patient.