Among the increasing concerns against the safety and well-being of healthcare workers and medical students, another case of harassment against a junior resident doctor has come forward in Amritsar, Punjab.

As per a letter written by the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA), Government Medical College, Amritsar, a first-year junior resident doctor in the paediatrics ward of GMC, Amritsar was ‘physically assaulted’ while treating a sick child.

Following the incident, the RDA has given a call for a strike to all resident doctors at GMC Amritsar and asked them to boycott all hospital duties, except emergency services which will continue as per rosters.

“The attendants of the patient had been troubling and cursing the doctors since they took the patient in. One of the attendants of the patient (Mama), physically assaulted the doctor, her parents and abused the staff in open public while there was no security present to handle the situation,” the letter read.

A police complaint has been filed against the family, but the attendants of the patient are now missing, the RDA has informed.

“Keeping in view the failure of administration in providing the doctors' basic amenities, where our vehicles are being stolen every day, poor conditions of DDRS in ER and wards, recurrent security lapses, failure of payment of stipend on time, non-availability of basic medical supplies in ER and a never-ending list, it is high time we take the matter to our hands,” the letter further read.