[6] The incidence of reported violent crimes against doctors in India has been increasing from 2006 to 2017, with the highest violence rate occurring in Delhi, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
[1] Unrestricted public access to all areas in government hospitals, coupled with lack of security, surveillance and mob-preventing-drills increase the risk of violence.
In India, 62% of doctors who answered a survey reported that they were unable to see their patients without any fear of violence, and 57% had considered hiring security staff at their workplace.
[5] In May 2023, a junior doctor named Vandana Das was stabbed to death while on night duty, by a patient brought to casualty for medical examination by the Police in a Government hospital in the Indian state of Kerala.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and protests by doctors resulting in the Kerala Government passing an ordinance to provide stricter punishment for violence against hospitals and healthcare workers.
[14] In China, a 2019 survey by Dingxiang Yuan, a website for healthcare professionals, showed that 85% of doctors had experienced violence in their workplace.
[2] Giving training on communication skills for healthcare staff and providing the services of counselors for emotional support could likely reduce violence.