Chamba doctors' association defends Tissa hospital colleague in "misbehaviour with woman case"

The Himachal Medical Officers’ Association (HMOA), Chamba chapter, has come forward to defend a doctor of the Tissa Civil Hospital, who is facing scrutiny over allegations of misbehavior with a woman patient. In a detailed statement, the association stated that the doctor was serving in the hospital with dedication and professionalism for the past several years.

The association office-bearers, while addressing mediapersons here, said, "The doctor in question is a committed and honest medical practitioner, who performs emergency duties, monitors over 50 national health programmes and handles additional responsibilities such as post-mortems and inspections."

They said that despite the demanding workload, including 24 to 36 hours shifts, he consistently demonstrated commitment and competence in his duties. They added that the Tissa hospital had only three doctors against sanctioned 16 posts and the staff was overburdened.

The office-bearers said that when the alleged incident was said to have happened, there was no direct one-on-one conversation between the doctor and the woman patient. All communication took place between a nurse and medical officers. The association stressed that medical procedures such as digital rectal examinations were routine technical processes conducted on patients with their consent and a misinterpretation of the medical terminology led to a viral video on social media that unfairly targeted the doctor.

The association expressed concern over the public and social media backlash and said that it not only harmed the reputation of the doctor but also affected the morale of over 3,000 doctors working in various health institutions in Himachal Pradesh. It urged the public to recognise the challenges and pressures the medical professionals were facing, particularly in emergency and resource-limited settings.

The association also underlined that any genuine complaints against the medical staff should be addressed through proper official channels rather than social media. It emphasised the need for responsible public discourse to protect the dignity and mental well-being of healthcare workers.

“Chamba district has been recognised for its exemplary healthcare services, which the HMOA attributes to the leadership, dedication and hard work of doctors,” said an association member while appealing to the public to consider the broader context before drawing conclusions about the conduct of a medical professional.

A woman had accused the Tissa hospital doctor of making an objectionable comment about her daughter, who was suffering from an infection in her private parts. A video of the woman narrating the incident went viral on social media, following which the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital ordered a probe by a three-member panel while the police were also investigating the matter.