Attack on doctors, nurses at AIIMS Bhubaneswar after patient’s death; hospital rejects negligence allegations

Doctors and nursing staff at AIIMS Bhubaneswar were allegedly assaulted by relatives and associates of a patient who died during treatment on Saturday, prompting the premier medical institute to condemn the violence and reject allegations of medical negligence.

The incident followed the death of a 36-year-old man from Ugalpada in Odisha’s Khordha district, who had been undergoing treatment after an alleged poisoning.

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According to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, the patient was admitted to the Emergency Department on June 24 after allegedly consuming around 10 grams of poison while under the influence of alcohol.

Hospital authorities said he was brought in a critical condition, stabilised in the emergency unit and later shifted to the Medicine Ward, where he received treatment in accordance with established clinical protocols.

The hospital said the patient’s condition deteriorated suddenly on Saturday morning. Doctors informed the family about his critical condition and initiated intensive resuscitation measures. Despite sustained efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead.

Soon after, a group of the deceased’s relatives and associates allegedly became violent, physically assaulting doctors and nursing staff on duty, disrupting hospital services and endangering healthcare personnel.

Police reached the hospital, brought the situation under control, detained the accused and initiated legal proceedings. The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination as part of the legal process.

Rejecting allegations of medical negligence, AIIMS Bhubaneswar said every possible intervention had been undertaken in accordance with standard treatment protocols.

Condemning the assault, Medical Superintendent Dr Prabhas Ranjan Tripathy described violence against healthcare professionals as “completely unacceptable” and said it could not be justified under any circumstances.

“The institute stands firmly with its doctors and healthcare workers and will extend full cooperation to the investigating authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice,” he said.

The institute also appealed to the public to place trust in the healthcare system and to pursue any grievances through lawful and peaceful means while respecting the efforts of medical professionals who work to save lives.