Silvester D’ Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Dec 3: State health and family welfare department commissioner Pankaj Pande has suspended the services of Kundapur government hospital chief medical officer Dr Robert Rebello. The action was taken after complaints of dereliction of duty received from people and elected representatives and on oral orders from minister of health Sriramulu.

The state department of health has stated that several complaints were received against Dr Rebello from elected representatives and public on dereliction of duty by the medical officer. It is said that the order of suspension will be with immediate effect and disciplinary action will be taken against him soon.

Taluk panchayat members had mentioned about lapses in the accounts during taluk panchayat ordinary meeting on August 28. Though Dr Rebello was asked to submit details of the accounts, he had not provided them. “Later the then Assistant Commissioner Dr Madhukeshwar had dismissed the old committee of the temple and appointed Dr Vijay Shankar as the president. Besides that Dr G Shankar had got a building constructed for the government hospital at a cost of Rs 6 crore and he too has orally complained against the medical officer. As several complaints were received against the medical officer during taluk panchayat and zilla panchayat meetings, the action has been taken,” said the commissioner in his order.

“The doctor can receive allowance for living. He will receive half of his current salary until the investigations are completed and further orders are received. He cannot leave the location without permission from senior officials,” states the order from the health department.    

There is a small temple inside the hospital premises and a committee manages it.