LAHORE: A doctor was assaulted by a group of reportedly 15 to 20 individuals inside the Emergency Department of a private teaching hospital late on the night of July 30, leaving him injured and raising concerns over security arrangements for medical staff.
According to Dr Shoaib Khan Niazi, the president of the Young Doctors Association Punjab, the incident took place at Hayat Memorial Hospital, Continental Medical College, on Defence Road, Lahore. He also shared a video of the incident.
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According to sources, the incident occurred at around 10:30pm while the doctor was on duty in the emergency department. The group entered the hospital premises and physically attacked the doctor, who sustained injuries, including a reported patellar dislocation, and required urgent medical treatment.
Sources claimed that no security personnel were stationed outside the emergency department or effectively patrolling the hospital at the time of the incident. Although the hospital and medical college operate from the same premises with a single main entrance, questions have been raised over how such a large group was able to enter the campus without being stopped. It was further alleged that the only security guard who arrived during the incident left without intervening.
The incident has prompted demands from members of the medical community for a fair and impartial police investigation, immediate registration of a first information report (FIR) against those involved, and accountability from the hospital administration over the alleged security lapse. They also called for the immediate strengthening of security measures to ensure the safety of healthcare workers and urged the management to maintain transparency regarding the incident rather than attempting to suppress details to protect the institution’s reputation.
“We demand that the incident be investigated immediately through a transparent and impartial inquiry, that those responsible be brought to justice in accordance with the law, that effective security measures be ensured for the protection of medical staff in hospitals, and that practical steps be taken to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future,” Dr Shoaib said in a statement.
“The Young Doctors Association Punjab makes it clear that if justice is not served and effective action is not taken against those responsible, it will announce its future course of action and utilise all lawful and peaceful democratic means to safeguard the security, dignity, and rights of the medical community,” he added.
