The safety of doctors and health care workers working in government hospitals of Punjab is in danger. Doctors treating patients in the state are being attacked by their relatives. Records say that in the last 18 months, about 70 attacks have taken place on doctors and healthcare workers. In the year 2024, 60 such incidents took place in which the relatives of the patients either bled the staff posted in the hospitals or vandalized the buildings of the hospitals. In the last 3 months of the current year, about 10 such incidents took place in which the safety of healthcare workers was in danger.
To stop such attacks in Punjab hospitals, the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association has been pleading with the government for the last several months to deploy security personnel 24/7. However, the Punjab government had assured the doctors in writing in the month of August last year that the demands of the doctors would be met soon, but even after a year has passed, the government has not been able to fulfill its promise. The Punjab government made a proposal to hire security guards from PASCO in hospitals but due to objections from the finance department, the proposal remained confined to papers only.
The health department of Punjab however intervened promptly in all the cases. Following the instructions of Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, the Punjab police and the local administration immediately took action in the cases. As a result, FIRs were registered under stringent sections and the miscreants were arrested. The Punjab Civil Medical Service Association says that the government has never been so active before as it has been in the last one year. The strict action taken against the attackers has sent a strong signal to the society that such incidents will not be tolerated.
