Mumbai: The brutal assault on duty doctors at Dr. R.N. Cooper Municipal General Hospital in Vile Parle has triggered widespread outrage among Mumbai’s medical fraternity. Central MARD, BMC MARD, and the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) have demanded immediate and strict action against those responsible.
Residents at Cooper Hospital launched a mass strike on Saturday evening, while the medical associations warned that if robust security measures are not implemented by 5 pm on Monday, November 10, resident doctors across all BMC-run hospitals including KEM, Sion, Nair, and Cooper will go on mass leave, suspending all non-emergency services.
Doctors Attacked While Saving Patient’s Life
The assault occurred in the early hours of November 8, when a 60-year-old woman was rushed to Cooper Hospital with severe breathing difficulties. According to FAIMA National President Dr. Akshay Dongardive, doctors immediately began CPR and other emergency procedures, but the patient could not be revived.
Instead of acknowledging their efforts, a relative of the deceased allegedly threatened the doctors, saying, “If she dies, I won’t spare you.” When the woman passed away, he assaulted the Chief Medical Officer, a resident doctor, and an intern inside the casualty ward. The same doctors who had been fighting to save her life were beaten while on duty, exposing serious gaps in hospital security.
Longstanding Security Gaps in BMC Hospitals
BMC MARD stated that the incident highlighted chronic vulnerabilities within municipal hospitals, where doctors in high-pressure departments — such as casualty, ICU, OBGY, and EMS — work without adequate protection. Despite repeated warnings, meaningful security upgrades have not been implemented.
The associations have demanded the immediate arrest of the assailant under the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Institutions (Prevention of Violence) Act, along with stringent IPC charges. They also called for suspension of negligent security staff who failed to respond in time.
MARD and FAIMA’s Security and Welfare Demands
To prevent further violence, the medical bodies have proposed a detailed security reform plan, including:
24/7 deployment of trained, preferably armed, marshal or MSF personnel in critical departments.
Controlled access points in emergency zones.
Functional panic alarms and rapid response teams.
Full CCTV coverage with real-time monitoring and a 30-day data backup system.
They have also sought regular safety audits, monthly review meetings with MARD representatives, and urgent upgrades in working and living conditions — including clean on-call rooms, better RMO canteens, and hygienic residential quarters.
In addition, the doctors have reiterated their long-pending demand for a 2% dearness allowance hike with arrears.
‘Safety of Doctors Is Non-Negotiable’
The associations emphasised that ensuring doctors’ safety is crucial for maintaining uninterrupted public healthcare. “We cannot continue saving lives while our own safety remains at risk,” a MARD spokesperson said, underscoring the urgency for decisive government intervention before the Monday deadline.
