Maha: IMA threatens to protest if govt fails to take action against Shiv Sena MP for forcing Nanded Govt Hospital dean to clean toilet

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Amid the rising death toll at a government-run Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Maharashtra's Nanded where 35 patients and 16 infants died in 48 hours, the Maharashtra chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has issued a warning to initiate a protest unless the government of Maharashtra takes appropriate measures in response to a widely circulated video depicting the acting dean of the hospital being forced to undertake the task of cleaning toilets and urinals by Shiv Sena MP Hemant Patil.

Shiv Sena MP from Hingoli, Hemant Patil, visited Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday and made acting dean S R Wakode clean a dirty toilet and urinals. 

The Maharashtra chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said in a release that a memorandum has been submitted to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde demanding necessary action into the treatment meted out to the acting dean.

IMA (Maharashtra) president Dr Ravindra Kute said the medical fraternity also wants a proper investigation into Nanded hospital deaths.

“All these patients were admitted in a critical condition at the Nanded hospital which is a tertiary care centre. We request for proper inquiry. However, the treatment given by the local politician and MP to the dean and the HOD of the medical college is not justifiable,” the release said.

The IMA claimed the number of staff at the hospital is inadequate considering the huge footfall of patients.

“We will be forced to launch a statewide agitation if necessary action is not taken,” the memorandum said. 

On Wednesday, police have registered an FIR against Patil. The action was taken after a complaint was filed by the acting dean, SR Wakode, on charges of obstructing the public servant from doing his duty and defaming him.

A video circulating on the internet showed Mr Patil handing a broom to Mr Wakode and making him clean a toilet and wall-mounted urinals. 

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A 'X' (formerly twitter) user sharing the video said "Newborns lost their lives at a government hospital in Nanded, Maharashtra due to shortages of medicine which is an administration failure more than that of doctors. For this, the M.P Hemant Patil made Dean Dr. Shyamrao Wakode clean toilets rather than finding the cause behind the incident. This hurts to even watch seeing the condition of medical professionals in the country."

"The government spends crores but I am pained to see the situation here. The toilets have not been cleaned for months. The toilets in the wards of the hospital are locked. No water is available in toilets," Mr Patil, who belongs to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, had told a news channel, reported PTI.

Following a complaint by Mr Wakode, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered this morning against Mr Patil and several others under Indian Penal Code section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 500 (defamation) and 506 (criminal intimidation), as well as provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, an official said.

While Mr Wakode was busy preparing for a minister's inspection tour, Mr Patil came to the dean's office at around 12:30 pm on Tuesday, the FIR said quoting the complaint.

While walking towards a ward, Mr Patil asked that he be shown the toilet (at the hospital). As the toilet was in a dirty condition, Mr Patil made the dean clean it, said the complaint.

A video of it went viral, which has defamed the dean, it claimed.

Later, Mr Patil also made Mr Wakode clean a toilet in ward no. 6 (of the hospital). "This led to an increase in my blood pressure," Mr Wakode said in the complaint.

Medical Dialogues team recently reported that after 24 patients died in 24 hours at a government-run Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Maharashtra's Nanded, the authorities on Tuesday confirmed that seven more deaths occurred at the same facility between October 1 and 2.

The District Information Office (DIO) of Nanded, located around 280 km from here, confirmed this on a social media platform, which took the total count of deceased patients in the hospital in 48 hours to 31.

The Dean of Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital Nanded, rejected allegations of negligence against the hospital on Tuesday, claiming that deceased patients were suffering from different ailments such as diabetes, liver failure, and kidney failure.

He emphasized that there was no shortage of medicines or doctors, and the patients were given proper care, but their bodies did not respond to the treatment. He also outlined that some of the patients were suffering from arsenic and phosphorus poisoning, snake bites etc.

Also read- 31 Deaths In 48 Hours At Nanded Govt Hospital, Probe Ordered