Lucknow: Two to four incidents of verbal abuse or physical intimidation are reported every month across major government hospitals in Uttar Pradesh, though many cases go unreported, said Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday. He noted that such incidents typically occur during emergency care when treatment outcomes do not meet attendants' expectations.
Incidents Highlighted in Storytelling Performance
Dr Singh was speaking at 'Ek Surgeon Ki Hatya', a live storytelling performance based on real incidents witnessed in government hospitals. The narrative follows a doctor who makes every possible effort in the operation theatre but is unable to save the patient. The situation then turns violent as attendants blame and assault the doctor despite prolonged medical intervention.
Recent Escalations at Medical Colleges
“Recent incidents at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College showed how quickly a medical emergency can escalate into confrontation, with doctors at times also facing administrative or legal action afterwards,” said Dr Singh.
Attendants from Lucknow to Meerut, he added, have turned aggressive after patient deaths, with doctors often facing their anger despite hours of treatment. In Kanpur and Aligarh too, disputes in emergency wards and dissatisfaction over treatment outcomes have repeatedly led to verbal abuse and intimidation of doctors.
Dr Singh emphasized that the problem is widespread and underreported, calling for better security measures and public awareness to protect healthcare workers.
