Instagram User Shares Painful GMC ICU Experience Amid Doctors’ Protest – Says “No VIP Culture, Just Neglect”

Posted by the user @the_hidden_vibgyor, the series of Instagram stories detail her traumatic experience at GMC just a month ago, when her brother was in the ICU for 15 days before passing away. Her account, marked by grief, frustration, and painful honesty, rejects the ongoing claim by some doctors that GMC suffers from a VIP culture. The post has gone viral, with many Goans praising the courage it took to share such a personal tragedy during a politically charged moment. While some sympathized with doctors under pressure, others echoed her concerns, saying medical accountability must coexist with respect for the profession.

　 “There is no VIP culture in GMC. I have made calls and pulled strings, yet there were neglects. I can name doctors who were brutally harsh,” she wrote, adding that she even begged doctors to show empathy, explaining that her brother was all she had left after losing both parents.

She clarified that she does not blame GMC or doctors for her brother’s death, but said she was deeply disturbed by the cold, mechanical treatment, particularly in the ICU. She also praised the consulting surgeons who eventually provided proper communication, but said this only came after repeated pleading and chasing.

　 “I’m now in therapy and get multiple anxiety and panic attacks a day… It’s the horrors I witnessed in those 15 days,” she added in her most recent post.

Her revelations come as the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) did its symbolic protest following Minister Rane’s surprise visit to GMC’s casualty ward, where he said he will suspend a doctor for allegedly misbehaving with poor patients. The minister later apologized for the tone of his outburst but remained firm that “arrogance by doctors towards poor patients will not be tolerated.”

In response, CM Dr. Pramod Sawant extended support to the doctors and promised to look into the matter sensitively, urging both sides to focus on patient welfare. The striking doctors, however, demand a formal apology inside the casualty ward — where the incident occurred.

But the account from @the_hidden_vibgyor introduces a critical third dimension — that of the common citizen stuck between bureaucratic systems and overburdened medical staff.

She recounts how:

She had to perform physiotherapy herself, without proper support or instruction.

Despite her repeated warnings, a preventable infection ultimately caused major complications.

　 “Not all, but I know the harsh words spoken to me, particularly by the ICU doctors. The nurses were more empathetic,” she said.

Public Reactions Divided

The post has gone viral, with many Goans praising the courage it took to share such a personal tragedy during a politically charged moment. While some sympathized with doctors under pressure, others echoed her concerns, saying medical accountability must coexist with respect for the profession.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s tough stand has received support from sections of the public who feel that poor and vulnerable patients often get sidelined.

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Conclusion: Whose Side Is the System On?

The debate isn’t about doctors vs ministers anymore. It’s about the invisible suffering of patients and families in public hospitals. As @the_hidden_vibgyor’s viral post makes clear — the fight isn’t just for dignity in uniform, it’s also for dignity in the ICU.

In a state that prides itself on health infrastructure, these voices demand to be heard — not just in wards and protests, but in policies and practices.