After a female gynaecologist was recently assaulted at Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) recently, the question of security of resident doctors in medical colleges has again come to the fore.

Resident doctors participated in a two hour protest wearing black ribbons. The Out Patient Department (OPD) services were affected during the protest.

Following this incident, doctors of BJ General Medical College (BJGMC) protested on Monday to emphasize the issue of lack of security of resident doctors in various medical colleges and hospitals.

The recent attack on the doctor at YCMH and a murder at Government Medical College and Hospital, Nagpur has yet again highlighted this issue.

Dr Ajay Vane, General Secretary Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), BJGMC, Pune said that they have since long raised the question regarding the lack of security for resident doctors in medical colleges in Maharashtra.

“As per the directive of the High Court, armed security guards were provided at all hospitals. These guards were seen only for a span of six months and recently all of them have stopped working, as their salaries have been pending at BJGMC. We protested as they want the state government to take a serious note of the lack of security. On Monday, members of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) interacted with the Dean of BJ Medical College, Dr Ajay Chandanwale,” said Vane.

“He has assured us that the guards will soon be provided and the issue regarding the lack of security for resident doctors would be addressed,” he added.