Daijiworld Media Network - Gandhinagar (SHP)
Gandhinagar, Aug 9: Dr Smita Tiwari, medical superintendent of a government hospital in Billimora taluka of Navsari district in Gujarat, has been sent on leave for five days. Tiwari was accused of failing to perform her duties and for discriminating between her patients. She refused to treat locals and stated she would only treat patients from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Tiwari was appointed as a medical superintendent at the Meghushi Hospital in March this year. The incident reported against her took place on Wednesday, when a woman, Veenaben Rushi, waited outside Tiwari’s room with her 10-year-old son suffering from fever. After waiting for about an hour, Veenaben and other women went into the room only to find Tiwari on the phone. The women requested her take a look at the patients, to which Tiwari allegedly replied, "I am not here to treat Gujarati patients, I will treat patients of UP and Bihar. You Gujaratis harassed me and my father earlier." She then asked the women to leave her chamber.
Following a complaint, Billimora Nagar Palika BJP president, Mukesh Naik, reached the hospital along with women members of Nagar Palika and leader of Opposition, Arvind Patel. According to the civic body, Tiwari misbehaved with them too. After suffering the alleged misdemeanor at the hands of Tiwari, Naik registered a complaint with the Regional Deputy Director (RDD) of Health Department, Dr R K Kanchal, in Surat. Considering the complaint, the RDD set up a probe panel.
As part of the inquiry, the team visited the hospital on Thursday and took the statements from hospital staff, patients, Dr Tiwari and Mukesh Naik. Once the statements were recorded, a detailed report was forwarded to Dr RK Kanchal and Dr HK Bhavsar, incharge additional director of medical services at Gandhinagar. The aftermath of the report resulted in Tiwari being sent on leave for five days.
As per the statement of other doctors in the hospital, Tiwari was also reported as being irregular at work and accused of inappropriate behaviour.