A doctor from the County Hospital in Târgu-Jiu was assaulted by the parents of a patient. Such events tend to become more frequent, but medical staff often choose not to report them, reveals a union leader, giving reasons.
A serious event occurred in the Emergency Department of the largest hospital in Târgu-Jiu, a female doctor being assaulted by the parents of a patient.
Everything happened during the provision of medical care to the patient on whom the therapeutic maneuvers necessary to stabilize the health condition had been initiated. The young woman, who arrived in the emergency room after allegedly swallowing several drugs, became very agitated during the therapeutic maneuvers. Her parents, who were in the waiting area, entered the medical space without authorization, the hospital announced, and “a family member showed a very aggressive behavior towards the doctor on duty, the doctor was roughed up, pushed, coffee was thrown on his clothes. The UPU security guard intervened, and the UPU employees quickly called the police.”
The doctor subsequently slipped on the wet floor, sustaining a leg injury and requiring medical evaluation and treatment.
“On February 16, 2026, at around 9:10 p.m., police officers from the Târgu Jiu Municipality Police were notified directly of an incident at the UPU section of the Târgu Jiu Emergency Hospital, as a result of which a criminal case was drawn up, under the aspect of committing offenses of insult and disturbing public order and peace. The investigations were taken over by a prosecutor from the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Târgu Jiu Court”, informed IPJ Gorj. Two people were detained, during Tuesday they were placed under judicial control.
“The hospital management strongly condemns any form of violence against staff medical. Such behaviors seriously affect the medical practice and endanger the safety and integrity of health professionals and patients and show, unfortunately, the fact that doctors sometimes carry out their work in difficult conditions. The incident was reported to the police and is being investigated.” the hospital also sent to the public.
More security posts and video cameras
The manager of the Târgu-Jiu County Emergency Hospital, Dumitru Vienescu, told “Adevărul” that after the incident, discussions were held to supplement the security posts.
“Of course, measures must be taken, because, unfortunately, the aggression of relatives and patients is increasing at the level of institutions. (…) Today I had a discussion with my colleagues to supplement the security posts. Also, the addition of video cameras and the installation of video cameras throughout the UPU space, so that we have a picture at all times of what is happening there. And I think it would be necessary, because the security can only be done with a private company, and the support of the Gendarmerie. To patrol the perimeter area of the UPU much more often, concluded a protocol with the Gendarmerie in this regard”, stated the manager of SJU Târgu-Jiu.
There are currently two guard posts in the UPU and one more will be added. The guards were right in the area where the aggression took place, one of them intervened, but they were outnumbered, eight relatives of the patient being involved in the event. The reaction of the girl’s parents, because they were mainly aggressive (following the hearings, the two were detained and later placed under judicial control) would have started from the fact that they heard the girl screaming.
“The attendants were in the waiting room. They heard the cry of the patient, who could not bear the said investigation or the said medical procedure, and then they left the waiting room and walked directly over the medical staff performing the medical intervention, thinking that the doctor was doing something bad to the patient, although such a thing is excluded. And that’s when the altercation started.” detailed the manager.
During the past year, another violent event took place at the hospital’s Emergency Department, when it was a fight between two groups, without the involvement of the medical staff. “I don’t recall any recent incidents involving medical staff, but that doesn’t mean that no action needs to be taken,” added Dumitru Vienescu.
The pressure on the UPU is even greater recently, the manager confirmed, since certain categories of patients lost their insured status (in the summer, last year), increasing the number of those who turn to doctors in the Emergency. The positions are currently blocked, but steps are being taken for transfer or secondment for staffing. “We do everything possible, the legal possibilities that the manager has at his disposal. At the moment we have secured shifts with on-call doctors, but of course it is a minimum norm, which can be supplemented. There is also room for more staff, because the activity is increasing more and more”the manager also said.
Why are incidents not reported?
The first vice-president of the Solidarity Health Federation, Daniel Bulboacă, says that incidents of aggression against medical personnel are much more frequent in recent years, but they are not reported to management.
“They report to us a lot more than in the past, but they don’t really report to the health units. He is very hesitant to do such a thing to the health facility. Why? It may seem strange to you, but because of bureaucracy. They are called for statements, put on the roads and so on. The procedures are a bit difficult. They go by principle
The union does not see a miraculous solution to solve this problem, but notes that in hospitals not much effort is made to protect the medical staff from aggression.
“Most health facilities do not have their own security, they have contracted security companies. The moment you increase the staff of the security company, it automatically increases the value of the contract… I don’t know if it’s the best solution. Indeed, there are some critical places, where it could be supplemented, such as UPU, such as psychiatric wards. In principle, it is a solution, but it may not necessarily give the best results. Plus those surveillance cameras will never intimidate the perpetrators, they will have no further hesitation.”
said Bulboacă.
On the other hand, assaults on staff should be treated, according to the collective labor agreement, as work events and reported to the institutions.
“We have included in the collective labor agreement the fact that any physical aggression against the staff of health facilities is a work accident. Now, if there are minor aggressions and the person attacked does not have at least 3 days of temporary incapacity for work, the respective accident is not investigated by the ITM, which means that we also have a problem in this area”the union leader also pointed out.
Work accidents at the level of the unit should be analyzed during the meetings of the occupational safety and health committee (OSH), but this does not happen as stipulated in the legislation, Bulboacă also emphasized.
A tightening of the legislation, with tougher penalties for those who assault medical staff, could be a solution.
“It is possible to give results. Let’s think that the relatives do not even take into account the visiting schedule, which must be respected, according to the internal regulation, in a unit. They also come outside the visiting schedule. They think it is their right to see the patient. The moment they are refused, then they become aggressive both verbally and physically. Yes, indeed, some higher fines could deter such behaviors.”
concluded the representative of Sanitary Solidarity.
“Physical assaults, threats and verbal abuse are not “
The “Health Solidarity” Federation from Romania (FSSR) announced, also through a press release, the firm condemnation of all forms of violence directed against health professionals.
“Physical assaults, threats and verbal abuse are not “part of the job”, but a major safety and health risk at work, with a direct impact on the safety of the medical act.
In the Collective Labor Agreement at the level of the Health sector (CCMS), FSSR has already introduced a concrete tool to increase the protection of employees against aggression: Appendix no. 11 – “Procedure regarding the protection of Health employees against workplace aggression”. The procedure is mandatory for health facilities to which the CCMS applies, establishing clear prevention, reporting, victim support and security measures.
As an essential element, the procedure explicitly states that physical aggressions at work, during the program, against health employees are considered work accidents and must be treated as such, while also indicating other protection solutions”. it is specified in the communication.
The Federation demands the strict application of the Procedure in Annex no. 11 (CCMS), including its integration into internal regulations and the operationalization of responsibilities. The centralization of incidents (physical and verbal assaults) at unit level and the provision of data, upon request, to those in law, are also requested. “for combating under-reporting and substantiating prevention measures”.
“Carefully go through the Procedure in Appendix no. 11 and demand compliance whenever an incident occurs! Don’t normalize aggression, but report it, ask for the incident to be recorded, the support of the unit and, when necessary, the referral to the competent authorities!”is the exhortation addressed to the medical staff.
The College of Doctors asks the population for “responsibility, dialogue and mutual respect”
And the College of Doctors from Romania reacted following what happened, showing that “any form of aggression, violence or intimidation directed against medical professionals practicing the medical profession is unacceptable”.
“The safety of doctors and all medical personnel is an essential condition for ensuring the medical act, but also the optimal functioning of the health system.
andthe incident that happened last night at the hospital in Târgu Jiu is deeply regrettable and unacceptable. Assaulting medical personnel cannot be justified in any way and all necessary measures must be taken according to the law. Doctors carry out their work in the service of patients, sometimes in difficult conditions, with professional responsibility and dedication. Protecting the physical integrity of doctors, as well as respecting professional dignity, must be a priority for the management of medical units, but also for the whole society”was the message of the professional forum. An appeal was also launched to the authorities for the application of protective measures to the medical staff, but also to the population.
“We appeal to the population that interacts with the medical system – patients and relatives – for responsibility, dialogue and mutual respect. Just as, every time, we have emphasized the importance of respect for the patient, in the same way, today, we bring to the attention of society and public opinion the need for respect for doctors”it is also specified in the message of the College of Doctors.
On social media, the reactions were diverse, from those of solidarity with the medical staff to warnings. “You are right, but why did it come to this?? Don’t ask yourself, always blaming others. So far it’s nothing, besides what macabre shows you’re going to have in the future, like the mistakes you made in the medical system. This comment is not sarcastic, it is the facts prescribed to the state”,
is one of the “warnings” posted online.
