Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (UM/RJP)
Udupi, Jan 15: State health minister U T Khader on Friday January 15 paid a surprise visit to the district government hospital at Ajjarkad here and took the administration to task on finding irregularities in attendance, maintanence and other areas.
Local MLA Pramod Madhwaraj, city municipal council president P Yuvaraj and other local leaders accompanied the minister.
When the minister entered the hospital, he was surprised not to find the district surgeon or any doctor in the premises. Once the intimation was sent to the district surgeon, the minister started interacting with the patients and the public who had arrived after hearing about the news.
District surgeon Dr Mahendra and four doctors came after 10 minutes of the ministers' arrival. U T Khader took Dr Mahendra to task for his and others doctors' absence and irregularities at the hospital. He even showed a broken window glass to the doctors. and also took note of the fact the surgeon not wearing the white coat.
The public who spoke to the minister complained that the hospital was not managed efficiently and the patients were either sent to private hospitals or to Wenlock hospital in Mangaluru. They said even taluk hospitals got more patients than this hospital.
When there was a complaint four months back that the hospital experienced shortage of staff, new appointments were made to fill the vacancies. Presently the hospital has 18 doctors and 49 nurses.
The district surgeon and 4 doctors were called for a meeting later with the minister. The minister asked them to hold at least one meeting in a month with the local MLA and other people concerned. He promised them that shortage of medicine if any would be addressed. "When you work sincerely and efficiently, people will automatically show support to you and the hospital will become popular," Khader told the hospital staff.
MLA Pramod Madhwaraj said that complaint box should be properly maintained and his phone number could be displayed on the box. "If any more complaints come, I will ask the minister to suspend the district surgeon. I have a good name throughout the state. I cannot see a hospital being mismanaged in my own constituency," he said.
U T Khader speaking to the media said, "The Paryaya on January 18 is a state event. I want all the government employees to be alert and active. Bike ambulances stationed in Ullal and Mangaluru will be sent here. Health points will be installed in three places. All the arrangements will be made to look after the well-being of tourists during the Paryaya."
District health officer Dr Rohini was present.