Surat Civil Hospital Doctors Strike After Clash With Drunk Patient

Surat | Gujarat —  In yet another controversy surrounding Surat New Civil Hospital, resident doctors of the surgery department at the trauma center staged a sudden strike on Thursday night after a drunk patient allegedly misbehaved with a doctor. The incident snowballed into a heated dispute between the doctors and the Casualty Medical Officer (CMO), forcing senior hospital authorities to intervene.

The chaos left several emergency patients stranded without treatment, sparking outrage among relatives and raising fresh concerns about security inside Gujarat’s largest government hospital.

Drunk Patient Sparks Chaos

According to hospital sources, the incident began when a heavily intoxicated patient was brought to the trauma center in a 108 ambulance. After being shifted to the surgery department, the patient reportedly behaved rudely with a resident doctor. When the doctor raised security concerns with the CMO, the matter escalated into a confrontation.

“The patient was out of control and misbehaved with the staff. Instead of ensuring security, the issue turned into a blame game with the CMO,” said a resident doctor, who participated in the strike.

Doctors Walk Out Over Safety

Within minutes, dozens of resident doctors gathered at the trauma center, raising slogans of “We want justice” and “CMO Hi Hi.” They announced they would not resume duties until adequate security measures were promised.

The protest left trauma patients helpless. “My father was in severe pain, but there was no doctor to attend him. We had to wait for hours,” said Ramesh Patel, a patient’s relative.

The strike also prompted 108 ambulance authorities to temporarily halt transfer of surgical patients to New Civil Hospital, diverting them to SMIMER Hospital instead.

Authorities Step In

Hospital Superintendent Dr. Dharitri Parmar, RMO Dr. Ketan Nayak, and police officers rushed to the trauma center late at night to pacify the situation. “The rowdy patient was handed over to police, but the matter escalated due to previous unresolved issues. We have assured doctors that an investigation committee will be formed to address their demands,” said Dr. Nayak.

He further added, “For the time being, we coordinated with SMIMER Hospital to handle incoming trauma cases. Patient care remains our top priority.”

Security Still in Question

The strike has reignited debates about the safety of doctors in public hospitals. “Every few months, New Civil Hospital makes headlines for wrong reasons. Doctors cannot work in constant fear of attacks or misbehavior. Security must be non-negotiable,” said social activist Vikas Desai.

By Friday morning, doctors ended the strike after officials assured the formation of an inquiry committee to probe the incident and resolve long-pending issues with the Police Investigation Unit (PIU).