GMC Jammu Junior doctors’ strike enters 2nd day amid protests

Jammu, Jul 17: Junior doctors in Government Medical College (GMC) hospital Jammu Thursday continued to be on strike amid protests for the second day against alleged assault on a couple of their colleagues by the attendants of a patient on July 16.

An FIR was registered in the case on Wednesday after the incident yet the junior doctors refused to join their duties till the arrest of the main accused in the alleged assault case.

Though senior doctors, all faculty members and Consultants performed duties in the Emergency and other wings, the functioning of GMC hospital Jammu remained affected and patients from far flung areas continued to suffer.

Mohd Taj, a patient from Rajouri, while sharing his plight, said that he had come all the way from the border district for bone and joints related treatment but the junior doctors refused to see him stating till the person who assaulted their colleague was not arrested, they would not see patients.

“Many patients like me have come from far-off places. If it continues like this, they will die without treatment. The Government should immediately intervene to save innocent patients craving for immediate attention,” he said.

Som Nath Dabgotra, a social activist, blamed the administration for not being able to end the stalemate. “Patients are suffering. FIR has already been registered. Doctors are seeking arrest of the accused. It takes time in fulfilling the procedures. Doctors should resume duties till then. It’s criminal to see patients suffering.

Mudasir, an attendant with a patient from Sudh Mahadev in Chenani, too sought immediate intervention of the administration by resolving the issue with junior doctors to address the plight of patients from distant places.

Junior doctors deployed in the Emergency wing of Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital, Jammu on Wednesday evening went on a flash strike to protest an alleged “act of violence against doctors by the attendants of a patient.”

To manage the crisis situation following their flash strike and in the interest of patient care, Principal and Dean, GMC Jammu, Dr Ashutosh Gupta directed all the Clinical and Paraclinical Heads of Departments to ensure the deployment of their faculty members and Consultants in the Emergency GMC Hospital, Jammu till junior doctors would resume their duties.

Later in a press conference, GMC, Jammu administration condemned the “act of violence” against doctors by the attendants of a patient in the Emergency.

“In a gruesome incident that happened on July 16,2025, the attendants of the patients resorted to physical and verbal violence against doctors on duty in the emergency. The incident took place after the death of a terminally ill patient,” Dr Gupta said.

“It is pertinent to mention here that a patient had been referred back from PGI to the Government Medical College, Jammu with the following complications of brain haemorrhage. As per PGI treatment discharge slip, it was clearly mentioned that the patient was suffering from massive brain haemorrhage and poor prognosis was explained to the attendants of the patient,” he said.

Dr Ashutosh said that the attendants were advised to get “basic medical and nursing care” at a local hospital. However, in GMC, Jammu, the patient was offered the best possible treatment.

“On the 5th day of the admission, the patient expired due to respiratory arrest. Unfortunately, the patient’s attendants attacked physically and verbally a lady doctor and other staff of GMC, Jammu. The CCTV cameras clearly show attendants of the patient kicking and beating the lady doctor,” he said.

Meanwhile Indian Medical Association (IMA) Jammu and GMC Doda doctors too have supported the protesting junior doctors.