In a chilling incident that has shaken the medical fraternity, an oncologist was critically injured after being stabbed by a patient’s relative at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital (KCSSH) in Guindy, Chennai. The attack, carried out allegedly by the 26-year-old son of a cancer patient, has prompted outrage and protests from medical professionals, highlighting longstanding concerns about the safety and staffing conditions in government hospitals.
The incident took place on Wednesday morning when Dr. Balaji Jagannath, an oncologist at KCSSH, was attacked by Vignesh, a resident of Perungalathur, whose mother is undergoing cancer treatment at the hospital. According to the police, Vignesh entered the hospital with three of his friends around 10:30 AM, apparently to visit his ailing mother. What began as a tense discussion about his mother’s deteriorating condition soon escalated into violence, with Vignesh allegedly accusing Dr. Jagannath of negligence in his mother’s treatment.
The altercation became heated, and in a shocking turn of events, Vignesh reportedly pulled out a kitchen knife and stabbed the doctor multiple times in the neck, head, and upper body. Onlookers and hospital staff rushed to the doctor’s aid, quickly moving Dr. Jagannath to the Intensive Care Unit, where he remains in critical condition. Authorities said that the hospital staff, along with bystanders, managed to apprehend Vignesh and his three friends, who are now in police custody.
The attack has drawn widespread condemnation and an immediate response from government officials. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin called the attack “shocking” and vowed to provide all necessary medical assistance to the injured doctor. He also ordered a detailed investigation into the incident and emphasized the importance of protecting medical professionals. “The selfless work of our government doctors is immeasurable, and it is our duty to ensure their safety during this work,” Stalin wrote in a statement, promising that measures would be put in place to prevent such occurrences in the future.
While the Chief Minister’s response has offered some reassurance, the incident has exposed the deep-rooted issues plaguing the state’s healthcare system. Many doctors’ associations have expressed their concerns, pointing to a critical shortage of medical professionals in government hospitals as a key factor that is exacerbating tensions between patients, their families, and healthcare workers. As of October 2024, approximately 30% of sanctioned doctor positions in Tamil Nadu remain unfilled, leaving about 5,000 vacancies out of 18,000 sanctioned posts. This shortage is only expected to worsen, with an estimated 1,000 doctors likely to leave for postgraduate studies between December 2024 and February 2025.
A senior doctor attached to a prominent government hospital in Chennai, speaking on the condition of anonymity, highlighted the strain that the understaffed healthcare system places on both medical professionals and patients. “Patients and their families come here already distressed due to the illness of their loved ones. The overwhelming workload makes doctors helpless, and they end up failing a system that is supposed to be efficient and supportive. If the government appoints an adequate number of doctors, things would improve significantly,” the doctor said.
The Service and PG Doctors Association strongly condemned the attack, calling it an “unprecedented assault” on a medical professional. In protest, doctors at KCSSH have announced a temporary strike, halting non-emergency services at the hospital. The strike is intended to highlight the urgent need for better staffing, security, and working conditions for doctors working in high-pressure environments like government hospitals.
According to hospital sources, Dr. Jagannath underwent emergency surgery following the attack. Currently, KCSSH, like other major state-run hospitals in Chennai, is guarded by private security internally, while police officers patrol the premises externally. However, doctors at KCSSH and other government hospitals have pointed out that the current security measures are insufficient, given the rising number of incidents involving patient or bystander aggression towards healthcare workers. “The government cannot ignore the strain placed on healthcare facilities and medical professionals, especially as the demand for medical services continues to outpace available resources,” said a doctor from KCSSH.
The stabbing incident has also sparked debates among senior healthcare professionals regarding the bureaucratic mismanagement of the state’s health system. Dr. Sai Lakshmikanth Bharathi, a government doctor in Chennai, took to social media to express his frustration. In a strongly worded post, he argued that bureaucratic interference was preventing the health department from functioning effectively. “The bureaucracy is killing the department, which is a jewel in any government. Revive the health department. Relieve us from the clutches of useless IAS officers who are relentlessly pushing for privatization,” he wrote.
He also highlighted the overwhelming workload faced by doctors in government medical colleges, which are being treated like Primary Health Centres (PHCs) instead of tertiary care centers. “There should be a proper referral system in place. Every GMC OPD (outpatient) sees a minimum of 200 patients on average. With the existing manpower shortage, it’s highly impossible to give 100% care to all the patients. Either increase the manpower or restrict OPD numbers according to the number of doctors available. Each doctor can see a maximum of 30 patients per day. Or make tertiary care centers like GMCs referral centers. If the manpower shortage is not addressed, such incidents will only increase. Enough is enough,” he wrote, adding that the health department was crumbling under the weight of unrealistic expectations and severe manpower shortages. He concluded by calling for immediate intervention from the state government, tagging the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister in his post.
Tamil Nadu’s Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin also spoke to the media regarding the attack, stating that the government would take necessary steps to prevent similar incidents in the future. He assured the public that a detailed investigation was underway and that those responsible would be held accountable. Meanwhile, the state’s Health Minister, Ma Subramanian, denied claims of a doctor shortage, dismissing them as misinformation being spread by certain groups. He said that the health department had plans to fill 3,505 vacancies for doctors by February 2025 and that the recruitment of 1,271 nurses would take place this week.
Despite the assurances from government officials, medical professionals continue to voice their concerns over the lack of adequate staffing and security at government hospitals. The temporary strike by doctors at KCSSH has also led to disruptions in non-emergency medical services, causing inconvenience to patients and further fueling public debate on the state of healthcare services in Tamil Nadu. The incident has underscored the urgent need for systemic reforms in the state’s healthcare infrastructure, with healthcare workers demanding better working conditions, increased manpower, and a safer environment to carry out their duties.
The attack on Dr. Balaji Jagannath is a grim reminder of the challenges faced by healthcare workers, who often operate under tremendous pressure, balancing the needs of numerous patients while dealing with limited resources. It has highlighted the pressing need for both immediate and long-term solutions to ensure that doctors can work in a safe environment without fear of violence or retribution. As the investigation into the incident continues, the onus is on the government to not only bring the perpetrators to justice but also to address the underlying issues that have led to growing dissatisfaction among healthcare professionals in the state.