Niloufer Hospital PG doctors launch flash protests against attacks 

Resident doctors at Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad staged a flash protest after a PG doctor was allegedly assaulted by attendants of an infant in the RICU. Hospital authorities plan a police complaint, citing violation of ICU protocols and safety concerns

Hyderabad: Post graduate resident doctors at Niloufer Hospital launched a flash protest on Monday morning following an alleged assault on a second-year PG doctor by relatives of an infant, while he was discharging his duties in the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU).

The senior management of Niloufer Hospital on Monday said that they will lodge a complaint against the attackers with the Nampally police station.

---

The baby, who had displayed signs of improvement, was first shifted from RICU to the isolation ward. The duty doctor had attended the case and counselled the attendants on Sunday evening. However, five attendants (two male and three females) again entered the RICU as the child was crying excessively, medicos said.

Although the child was having only minimal distress, the junior doctor, prioritizing patient safety and appropriate monitoring, shifted the child back to the RICU and requested the attendants to leave the RICU premises, permitting only the mother to remain, in accordance with ICU protocols, the members of Osmania Junior Doctors Association (OJUDA) said.

“The doctor’s actions were guided solely by patient welfare and infection-control measures. Intensive Care Units are highly restricted areas where unnecessary movement of attendants can compromise sterility, increase the risk of infections, and endanger critically ill and immunocompromised patients fighting for their lives,” junior doctors said.

Instead of cooperating with medical staff who were acting in the best interests of the child and other patients, the attendants resorted to physical assault on the resident doctor. Adding to the concern, doctors on duty could not immediately inform the police through the RMO, as the helpline was reportedly not working, highlighting serious lapses in emergency response mechanisms intended to protect healthcare workers, the medicos said.