Gardaí are investigating an alleged assault on a Pakistani doctor outside University Hospital Limerick.
Dr Asif Iqbal said he was on his way into work at the hospital last Sunday when a man punched him in the back and used racial slurs.
“He hit me from behind with all his force, he just punched me, one or two times, in a very quick manner,” he said. “I was just about to fall, and then I barely stood up.”
Dr Iqbal (31) said the man told him to “go back to your country”.
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Security guards at the hospital saw the incident and intervened before it escalated.
Dr Iqbal reported the incident at Henry Street Garda station in Limerick.
A Garda spokesman confirmed that “investigations are ongoing”.
Dr Iqbal, who is a pre-registrar doctor at the hospital, said he and his colleagues are “very worried” that such an incident could happen again.
“They are also shocked ... everyone is worried,” he said, noting there are many non-white healthcare workers in the hospital who now fear for their safety.
“This should never have happened to any staff member in the hospital,” he said.
A spokeswoman confirmed that HSE Mid West is aware of the incident but said she cannot comment further while the Garda investigation is ongoing.
“Our priority is the wellbeing of our staff member, and we are continuing to offer them our full support,” a statement noted.
“The safety and wellbeing of our staff and patients is always our priority. We maintain a 24/7 security presence in our Emergency Department and work closely with Gardaí in Roxborough as part of the local Hospital Watch programme to help keep everyone safe.”
Dr Iqbal is from Lahore but has lived in Ireland for more than three years. He and his wife, who is also a doctor, have a young baby. He said one of the main reasons they have stayed here to date, rather than emigrate to Canada or Australia, is because of the “very friendly” people.
However, he feels things are “changing” in Ireland. He believes people who hold anti-immigrant or racist views are still in the minority but “it’s increasing”.
Dr Mustafa Mehmood, general secretary of the Irish Pakistani Professionals Association (IPPA), said the incident is “deeply concerning”.
“This shocking event is not an isolated case. Many immigrant doctors have reported incidents of racial intimidation, harassment, and even violence both within and outside their workplaces.
“These repeated episodes are instilling fear and anxiety among healthcare workers who are already under immense pressure while serving patients and communities across Ireland.”
Last month, another Pakistani doctor told The Irish Times she was considering leaving Ireland after being racially abused and threatened during an alleged incident in Co Donegal.
The IPPA represents more than 1,300 Irish-Pakistani professionals across a range of sectors including medicine, technology and business.
Dr Mehmood said “a significant proportion” of the association’s members work in hospitals throughout the country, including University Hospital Limerick, “where they are integral to patient care and the functioning of the health service”.
