Violence Against Healthcare Professionals in Tunisian Hospitals: A Growing Concern

The atmosphere in Tunisia's public hospitals is heavy, and the findings presented by the Tunisian Organization of Young Doctors (OTJM) at a press conference on Friday are alarming.

Violence against healthcare professionals is no longer an isolated incident, but a deeply ingrained phenomenon that directly threatens the safety of staff and undermines the very foundations of the public healthcare system.

To support this call to action, OTJM President Wajih Dhkar presented the results of a descriptive study conducted among 734 young practitioners, mostly residents and interns working in hospital-university settings. The numbers speak for themselves:

• Nearly three-quarters of respondents reported experiencing verbal or physical aggression at least once during their work.
• More than half of those surveyed faced these violent incidents multiple times, between two and five times, a level that the organization describes as frightening and far exceeding global and regional averages.

This situation reflects a major structural dysfunction and a chronic inability of institutions to provide a safe working environment. While verbal violence remains widespread, affecting almost all victims, physical violence affects one in five doctors. The study also highlights a chilling reality: one in eight doctors has been directly threatened with a sharp object within their own workplace.

The profile of aggressors shows that tension primarily comes from the patient's entourage, with companions accounting for nearly 58% of perpetrators, followed by patients themselves. These attacks often involve multiple individuals and occur in specific areas and times. Emergency services are on the front lines, accounting for nearly two-thirds of incidents, which mostly occur at night during night shifts.

Key Findings:

• 73% of respondents reported experiencing verbal or physical aggression at least once during their work.
• 55% of respondents faced these violent incidents multiple times, between two and five times.
• Physical violence affects one in five doctors.
• One in eight doctors has been directly threatened with a sharp object within their own workplace.
• The majority of aggressors are companions (58%) or patients themselves.
• Incidents often involve multiple individuals and occur in specific areas and times, particularly in emergency services during night shifts.

The OTJM calls for urgent action to address this growing concern and ensure a safe working environment for healthcare professionals.