Manipur: RIMS doctors, staff stage protest over assault on colleague; Healthcare services disrupted

Doctors, nurses, staff, and students of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) staged a sit-in protest on Monday, condemning the assault of a senior consultant by the family of a grieving patient and the subsequent vandalisation of the institute. 

The protest has led to a complete shutdown of medical services at RIMS, including OPD, emergency care, routine OT, and PME, until authorities ensure a safe working environment and the culprits are booked.

The violent incident occurred following the death of a 35-year-old woman due to complications after a surgical delivery. Medical professionals said the attending doctor had provided his best care, but the patient’s death, largely attributed to postpartum haemorrhage, was beyond his control. They emphasised that even in developed countries, deaths from postpartum complications occasionally occur, and highlighted that Manipur maintains a relatively low maternal mortality rate, reflecting the dedication of doctors in the state.

“This direct assault on a doctor, despite their best effort,s is deeply unfortunate. If the family had concerns, they should have approached the grievance cell rather than resorting to violence,” one protesting doctor said. He further noted that while suspending services was not the preferred course of action, the unsafe environment left staff with little choice. Services are, however, being provided to patients already admitted in the hospital.

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The protest, jointly organised by the Teachers’ and Medical Officers’ Association (TAMOA), RDA, RIMSSU, NTEWA, and RNA, saw medical professionals raising slogans and holding placards with messages such as “Stop Violence Against Doctors,” “Doctors Deserve Protection,” and “We Treat, Don’t Beat.”

Meanwhile, several organisations, including the Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR) and the WMO Women Wing, have condemned the alleged medical negligence at RIMS, citing a spate of preventable deaths of five patients in a short period. They called for an independent inquiry by the Manipur Medical Council (MMC) with public disclosure of findings, as well as disciplinary and criminal action against officials found guilty of negligence.

The incident has not only disrupted healthcare delivery at RIMS but has also heightened public concern and fear regarding patient safety in the state’s premier medical institution.