Chandigarh, Jan 1: In response to repeated attacks on doctors and healthcare workers, the Punjab government has approved a plan to deploy security guards at all district hospitals, officials said on Thursday.
According to a PHSC order issued on Dec. 31, 2025, 200 guards will be engaged through the Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation for January and February 2026. The plan has been approved by the state’s Finance Department and the health and family welfare minister.
The decision follows mounting concern within the medical community after nearly 80 incidents of violence were reported in government hospitals over the last two years. Doctors say emergency wards and night shifts remain particularly vulnerable.
Funding for the two-month period will come from the Emergency Response Fund in most districts, while select hospitals, including those in Bathinda and Patiala, will use user charges to pay salaries. Officials said arrangements are being made to ensure regular funding from March onward through the 2026–27 budget.
Hospitals in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Bathinda are among those set to receive the highest number of guards, while districts such as Fatehgarh Sahib, Malerkotla and SBS Nagar will have smaller deployments.
Medical associations described the move as overdue but cautioned against relying solely on outsourced manpower.
“The implementation of the first phase of hospital security is something we have been demanding for years,” said Dr. Akhil Sarin, president of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association. “It allows doctors to work in a safer environment, especially during emergencies.”
Sarin, however, said the government must move beyond temporary measures.
“Security should not be limited to two months. There must be a permanent and strict enforcement mechanism to prevent violence,” he said, expressing hope that sub-divisional hospitals would be included in the next phase.
