Bribery game was going on in the hospital! Minister’s inspection revealed, 4 employees dismissed

• Four medical assistants dismissed for taking bribe

Chennai. Tamil Nadu Medical and Public Welfare Minister Arunraj on Friday conducted a surprise inspection of Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital in Chennai. Based on complaints received from patients and their families during inspection, four medical assistants were dismissed from service with immediate effect for allegedly demanding bribe in the maternity ward. The Minister directed the hospital administration to adopt zero tolerance towards any kind of negligence and corruption in health services.

After continuous complaints regarding lack of facilities, disorganization and behavior of the employees in the government hospital, Minister Arunraj reached the hospital without prior notice. He inspected both the old and new buildings of the hospital and took stock of various wards, treatment rooms and other facilities. During this, he interacted directly with the admitted patients, their families and the people who came for treatment and got information about the actual situation of health services.

During the inspection, many family members presented serious complaints to the minister. His allegation was that some employees working in the maternity ward demand money in exchange for informing about the birth of a newborn and allowing the family members to meet or see the child. The complainants termed this as a long-running trend of illegal recovery in the hospital.

Patients and their families also raised the issue of inadequate provision of drinking water in the hospital. He said that there is not adequate arrangement to provide clean drinking water to the patients admitted in the hospital and the people accompanying them, due to which they are facing a lot of problems.

Taking serious note of the allegations of bribery, the Minister sought immediate clarification from the Dean and Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of the hospital. Officials said that they had received a complaint in this regard a day earlier also. If the preliminary investigation found the allegations to be true, four medical assistants posted in the maternity ward have been dismissed from service with immediate effect.

Expressing satisfaction over this action, Minister Arunraj clearly said that it is completely unacceptable for any employee to demand any kind of illegal extortion or bribe from the poor, needy and common citizens coming for treatment in government hospitals. He warned that strict departmental action would be taken against any employee found guilty in such cases.

The minister also directed to ensure immediate solution to the drinking water crisis in the hospital. He asked the officials to conduct a detailed inspection of the entire hospital by this evening and submit a detailed report on the status of drinking water and other basic facilities and where there is shortage, immediate corrective steps should be taken.

The minister also said that surprise inspection of any government hospital can be done at any time from the state headquarters. Therefore, all doctors, staff and officers should discharge their responsibilities with honesty, transparency and discipline, so that patients can get quality and respectable health services. The stir among the employees at Kilpauk Government Hospital has intensified after the minister’s sudden investigation and immediate dismissal of four employees.