Hyderabad: Junior Doctors’ Association (JUDA), Gandhi Hospital unit, on Tuesday announced a ‘black badge protest’ in response to the recent assault and alleged defamation of a postgraduate doctor on duty on the hospital premises.Condemning the incident, JUDA demanded an immediate public apology from those responsible and called for the deletion of defamatory social media posts related to the attack. The association described the incident as an unacceptable assault on a doctor performing professional duties.On Sunday evening, a postgraduate doctor from Gandhi Hospital’s general medicine department was allegedly assaulted by a patient’s attendant, after an argument reportedly over monitoring of a patient’s blood sugar levels before food was administered.“Physical assault, verbal abuse, intimidation, and online defamation severely affect the morale, dignity, and safety of healthcare workers,” a JUDA member said.JUDA urged higher authorities to take strict and immediate action against those involved and appealed for stronger security arrangements and a zero-tolerance policy against violence towards doctors and hospital staff. It also appealed to the public to support healthcare professionals and help maintain a safe working environment in hospitals.
