A postgraduate junior doctor of the Kakatiya Medical College allegedly attempted to die by suicide at the state-run Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Hospital in the Warangal district of Telangana on Wednesday, 22 February.
The woman, who was on duty at the hospital, was found unconscious by the staff and doctors and given initial treatment there, they said, adding that she was suspected to have resorted to the act by administering some drug.
MGM Hospital Superintendent Dr V Chandrashekhar said in a statement that around 7 am on Wednesday, while looking for a neurosurgery case, the junior doctor felt a headache and some dizziness, and went to her room from the operation theatre to take some rest.
“At approximately 7:15 am, the staff nurse on duty went to her room to inquire about an injection count and found her unconscious. Immediately, the staff nurse shouted and called the other doctors. The junior doctor, whose heart had stopped and who was not breathing, was given artificial respiration and CPR,” said the Superintendent.
Later, she was shifted to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad.
The superintendent added that the doctor was known to be on medication related to thyroid problems and arthritis.
He refused to confirm reports that she had administered the dosage on herself, as “no medical diagnosis has come to validate it”, Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) vice-president and KMC student Dr D Srinath told South First.
The Superintendent said that in order to clear the air in this matter, this has been registered as a medico-legal case and the concerned police department has informed them.
Also read: Why are junior doctors stressed and dying by suicide?
Senior accused of abetment to suicide
Some reports claimed that the junior doctor attempted suicide after being harassed by one of her seniors, a male doctor.
The student’s father lodged a complaint with the police accusing a senior student of harassing her daughter, and a case was registered in this regard.
The senior, a second-year (MD) student in the Department of Anaesthesia at the medical college, had been making comments to belittle and harass her, it was alleged.
The complaint further stated that he also posted comments against the junior doctor on the online groups of an instant-messaging platform, and that she took the decision to attempt suicide because she was unable to bear the harassment.
The authorities of the medical college said they have constituted a committee to inquire into the matter.
“We are presuming it to be an attempted suicide and based on further investigation the exact reasons will be known,” the senior police officer said.
Once she recovers, the police are expected to get more details and the next plan of action would depend on that, the official added.
Meanwhile, the TJUDA also said that the allegations of harassment by a senior were false.
“We condemn the false allegations which are being circulated in the media targeting a senior anaesthesia student without proper inquiry or investigation of the incident,” TJUDA spokesperson Dr C Karishni told South First.
The association support the junior doctor’s family in these difficult circumstances, added the TJUDA.
“However, we call upon all the concerned to restrain themselves from coming to any conclusion till a proper investigation is conducted,” added Karishni.
