Outsourced staff treats patients at Pavagada General Hospital, Karnataka Lokayukta takes suo moto action

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Lokayukta has taken suo moto action against the Pavagada general hospital in the Tumakuru district after reports emerged that a Group D employee is treating patients coming to the hospital with orthopaedic problems. 

The Lokayukta, an ombudsman institution set up to investigate and report any form of corruption by the state government and to redress public grievances related to state government employees, directed the health and family welfare department officials to give an explanation and asked the Superintendent of Police to submit a report after investigating the incident.  

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The body took action after a media report highlighted the issue on June 5. The report stated that there are 26 staff nurses and 30 Group ‘D’ employees at the hospital, and the latter provide treatment to the patients. They further noted that an orthopaedic doctor who was deputed to the hospital has remained absent for the past six months. 

Therefore, it is the hospital staff and employees who treat the patients, who further refer them to bigger hospitals. 

In its order, Justice Patil stated that no action was taken despite the matter coming to the notice of the medical officer, and pointed out that there are no doctors at the hospital to treat the patients. 

He stated that the right to life is a fundamental right, which includes the right to health, and it is the state's responsibility to provide adequate medical facilities to its people. He further warned that failure on the part of the hospital authorities is a serious lapse and would result in strict action against them. 

The order, according to a media report in the New Indian Express reads, "Government hospitals are established with a view to providing effective and purposeful health care to the poorer sections of society, who cannot afford private hospitals. Any dereliction of duty on the part of officials would not only result in denial of the right to life but also amounts to maladministration." 

The body has directed the principal secretary, commissioner, director of health and family welfare, district and taluk health officers of Tumakuru district taluk, administrative medical officer and orthopaedic medical officer Dr Nagaraj of General Hospital of Pavagada taluk to give an explanation. 

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