Chandigarh: More than a year after approving guards for district hospitals, Punjab govt has initiated steps to strengthen security at 41 sub-divisional hospitals across the state, with guards to be deployed from Nov 1. The move comes amid repeated complaints of physical assaults, verbal abuse and intimidation of medical staff, particularly during night shifts, when inadequate security arrangements have raised concerns over the safety of healthcare workers.On the night of Oct 24, a woman medical officer on duty was assaulted by a patient at the sub-divisional hospital in Kharar, highlighting concerns over security in govt hospitals.The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) has reported around 80 incidents of violence against doctors in govt hospitals over the past two years. Doctors’ bodies have warned that inadequate security, staff shortages and heavy patient loads are contributing to an unsafe working environment.According to a communication issued by the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) on Tuesday, approval has been obtained from the health minister to hire 205 security personnel for 41 sub-divisional hospitals for five months, from Nov 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027.The communication states that following advice from the finance department to hire security guards using the hospitals’ own resources, the personnel will be engaged through the Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation (PESCO), the designated outsourcing agency.The salaries of the guards will be paid through emergency response fund (ERF) allocations routed through the PHSC head office, based on demands submitted by the offices of the district medical commissioners. However, seven hospitals — SDH Tappa, SDH Talwandi Sabo, SDH Zira, SDH Malout, SDH Nabha, SDH Rajpura and SDH Samana — will make the payments from their user charges.The Joint Controller Finance and Accounts of the Directorate of Health Services, Punjab, has also been directed to make adequate budgetary provision for the 2027-28 financial year to ensure salary payments from April 1, 2027, onwards. Dr Akhil Sarin, PCMSA president, described the move as much-needed relief for doctors and healthcare staff working amid concerns over their safety.He said better security arrangements could also help check the rising attrition of doctors from govt service. “For long, we have been raising concerns about repeated incidents of violence in government hospitals, especially during night shifts. The deployment of security guards is a necessary first step towards restoring a sense of safety among healthcare workers,” he said.