Resident Doctors at Safdarjung Hospital Boycott CTVS Operation Theatres and ICU Over Alleged Assault on Senior Resident
Resident doctors at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital have indefinitely withdrawn all senior and postgraduate residents from duties in the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS) department’s operation theatres and ICU, in protest against an alleged physical assault on a senior anaesthesia resident by the Head of Department, Dr Anubhav Gupta.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Director of VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) expressed “deep concern and strong condemnation” over the incident involving Dr Jitendra (Senior Resident, Anaesthesia), reportedly assaulted by Dr Anubhav Gupta, Professor and Head of CTVS Department.
The RDA has placed three specific demands before the administration, stating that the boycott will continue until they are met:
- Immediate removal of Dr Anubhav Gupta from active duties and suspension of all his surgical privileges pending further action.
- Constitution of an impartial Institutional Enquiry Committee to thoroughly investigate the incident, followed by appropriate disciplinary measures based on findings.
- Mandatory psychiatric evaluation of Dr Anubhav Gupta, citing his “documented history and past conduct,” to ensure workplace safety and prevent future incidents.
The association warned that failure to address these demands promptly would compel them to “escalate the matter further in any appropriate form” to ensure justice, workplace safety, and institutional accountability.
The letter, signed by RDA President Dr Devaunshi Kaul, Vice-President Dr Rahul, General Secretary Dr Ayush Raj, Joint Secretary Dr Amit Yadav, and Treasurer Dr Rohit Rathi, has also been marked to the Medical Superintendent.
Safdarjung Hospital, one of India’s largest central government hospitals, performs a high volume of complex cardiothoracic and vascular surgeries daily. The sudden withdrawal of anaesthesia residents from CTVS operation theatres and ICU is likely to severely impact emergency and elective cardiac surgeries, potentially putting critically ill patients at risk.
As of now, the hospital administration has not issued an official response to the RDA’s letter or the allegations against the CTVS HoD.
This incident adds to the growing concerns about workplace violence and toxic work culture faced by resident doctors in several premier government hospitals across the country, with similar protests reported earlier this year at RML Hospital, LHMC, and AIIMS Delhi over alleged harassment and assaults by faculty members.
The medical community is watching closely as the standoff threatens to disrupt critical cardiac care services at one of the capital’s busiest tertiary-care centers.
