A day after a 25-year-old junior resident doctor was found dead at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Sector 32, Chandigarh, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Chandigarh, on Wednesday expressed concern over the incident. The IMA called for urgent measures to address the growing pressures faced by healthcare professionals.
The exact cause of death for the junior resident, who was pursuing a doctor of medicine (MD), has not yet been established. The postmortem was conducted on Tuesday, but investigations are ongoing, said GMCH-32 director-principal Dr Ravneet Kaur. The doctor was found unconscious in a bathroom with four syringes discovered near his body, and police suspect it was a suicide.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the IMA Chandigarh said that the tragic incident has once again highlighted the immense physical, mental, and emotional burden borne by doctors, particularly resident and junior doctors working in tertiary care institutions.
The association said that doctors in public healthcare facilities often work under challenging conditions, including excessive patient loads, long duty hours, sleep deprivation, staff shortages, and emotionally demanding situations.
IMA Chandigarh president Dr Anil Kumar said that while doctors remain committed to patient care, their own health and well-being are frequently overlooked. He urged the administration and healthcare institutions to conduct a comprehensive review of doctors’ working environments and implement measures to reduce excessive duty hours, ensure adequate staffing, strengthen workplace support systems and promote a healthier work-life balance.
The association also stressed the need for structured mental health support for healthcare professionals through regular counselling services, stress management programmes and periodic wellness programmes. Mourning the untimely loss of a young doctor, Resident Doctors Association, GMCH-32 took out a candlelight vigil in Block E of the hospital on Wednesday evening.
