Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, May 9: A day after superintendent of Lady Goschen hospital Dr Shakunthala was demoted for dereliction of duty and transferred to Wenlock hospital, the staff including nurses and medical officers Lady Goschen hospital protested against the move and demanded her reinstatement.

Condemning the move by the state government, the staff said that it was not an incorrect and lopsided decision. "The decision was taken without consulting us and without studying the matter properly," they alleged.

Speaking to daijiworld, nurse Bhavani, who is also the president of Dakshina Kannada nurses' association, said, "Patients from 10 district come to this hospital for treatment. Half the hospital is demolished and there is scarcity of nurses and doctors, still we work for 13 hours a day."

Referring to the death of a woman named Poovakka which sparked protests on Friday May 8, she said, "It was a complicated case but the decision taken later (to transfer Dr Shakunthala) was one-sided. The matter should have been discussed with us and then a suitable action could be taken. Though several patients come to this hospital, they are treated well and sent home. All facilites by the government are provided to the patients."

She further said that the nurses' association would submit a memorandum to health minister U T Khadar and the government to demand Dr Shakunthala's reinstatement.

She also alleged that there was a private lobby behind the move.

Speaking to daijiworld, Dr Shakunthala did not comment about the move but said that she respects the government order and the health minister's decision.

The protesting staff also said that in Poovakka's case, her husband who later filed a complaint, said that he did not even come when she got admitted to the hospital or delivered her baby, and came only after her death. The documents before doing the caesarian were signed by her uncle and not her husband, they said.

Balakrishna Rai of Human Rights Federation told daijiworld, "The Federation will also submit a memorandum to U T Khadar urging Dr Shakunthala's reinstatement. It is a social responsibility and we will support this fight and do our best to set things right."

The staff submitted a memorandum after which they withdrew the protest.