The Junior Doctors Association (JDA) of the institute has written to the district commissioner and administration of Bellary seeking permission to protest despite the election code of conduct.
The issue of attacks on resident doctors and interns is becoming a persistent concern. Recently, a female intern at Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) in Bellary, Karnataka, was allegedly assaulted by miscreants on June 3, 2024, around 6:30 pm. Following the incident, doctors at the institute initiated a strike.
The JDA members have requested the district authorities to address the issue promptly and permit their protest. According to their letter, the female intern was attacked while on duty at the New Emergency department of VIMS. A medical activist known as Indian Doctor on X (formerly Twitter) has called on the Karnataka government to take strict action against the attackers and ensure the safety of medical professionals.
This incident is not isolated; four similar attacks have been reported in the first week of June alone. Incidents include a resident doctor from Tripura sustaining head injuries, Dr. Amlan Kumar Bhoi from Odisha being kidnapped by alleged Maoists, and another doctor from Bhagwan Mahavir Institute of Medical Sciences in Nalanda, Bihar being assaulted.
Protesting doctors at VIMS Ballari are demanding justice under slogans like “Here to serve not to suffer,” “No service without justice,” and “If we bleed you bleed too. Save us save yourself.” Indian Doctor shared images of the protest on X, highlighting the urgency for action.
Dr. Sankalp, a resident of Internal Medicine, also posted a video of the protest, emphasizing the recurring nature of such assaults and the need for it to end. The attackers, reportedly patient attendants, were enraged by an alleged medical negligence that led to a patient’s death. Medical Dialogues reports that the culprits have been arrested.
