Ranchi: Junior doctors at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) have sought an overhaul of security arrangements on and around the campus, including deployment of a quick action force and restrictions on outsiders entering hostels and academic buildings.The demand follows a series of alleged assaults on doctors by patients’ relatives, besides vehicle thefts and phone-snatching incidents reported over the past few months.Around 1,300 junior doctors work at the state’s largest govt hospital. According to the Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA), at least two two-wheelers have been stolen and several phones snatched by bike-borne miscreants on the campus in the past four months. Doctors have also flagged repeated incidents of patients’ attendants allegedly abusing or manhandling medical staff.The latest incident occurred on Sunday, when on-duty doctors in the surgery ward were allegedly assaulted by relatives of a patient following his death during treatment.“The relatives attacked the doctors with iron rods used for hanging IV fluid even though the doctors tried their best to save the patient. Several similar incidents have occurred in recent times, jeopardising doctors’ safety,” JDA secretary Dr Shubham B Joshi told TOI.JDA president Dr Jitendra Kumar said that despite a sizeable number of security personnel at the hospital, doctors remained apprehensive about their effectiveness.“During Sunday’s incident, only one woman constable was present and she was not in a position to protect the doctors. We have demanded a dedicated quick action force comprising at least 15 trained guards to respond to violence, threats, crowding and other emergencies anywhere on the hospital premises,” Kumar said.The JDA submitted a six-point memorandum to the Rims authorities on Tuesday, seeking tighter security at the hospital, hostels and other key locations. It also demanded that hostels and academic buildings be declared restricted zones, with entry limited to Rims staff carrying valid identity cards and essential service providers with prior permission.Rims director Dr D K Sinha convened a security review meeting on Monday following the assault. He directed deployment of security personnel in three shifts at critical locations, including the trauma centre, surgery ward, ICU and super-speciality blocks.“A quick response team will be formed to deal with untoward incidents. A wireless communication system will also be introduced to improve coordination among security personnel,” Sinha said.
