Dog Dialysis at SSKM Hospital: After MCI reprimand, WB governor asks health department to remove WBUHS Vice Chancellor
West Bengal: Following the MCI reprimand in the controversial matter of the attempt of dialysis on a dog at the SSKM Hospital, the West Bengal Governor has now written to the state Health Department to take appropriate action into the demands for the removal of vice-chancellor of WBUHS Dr Rajendra Pandey for his alleged professional misconduct.
Confirmation to this effect was made to media persons here by officials said on 19th December.
Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported about the entire controversial case that erupted in 2015 after the West Bengal Medical Council's president, Dr Nirmal Majhi had allegedly referred a relative's dog for dialysis at the state-run SSKM Hospital.
It is reported that Dr Majhi referred the dog to the nephrology department of SSKM Hospital and following up to Maji's request, nephrology department head Dr Rajendra Pandey forwarded the matter to hospital's director Dr Pradeep Mitra. "An unidentified dog advised for hemo-dialysis," the note to Mitra stated
The dialysis which was planned but not carried out after objections poured in from the various doctors at the hospital, stating that the hospital is meant for humans, not canines. Amidst all the controversy Dr Mitra was soon transferred from the post of director at the hospital.
The Committee deliberated upon the matter at length and perused the document available and noted that the three doctors were involved in hatching a plan to perform dialysis of a pet dog using the dialysis machine at SSKM Hospital, Kolkata. However, the plan was not executed. The Committee is of the unanimous view that since the procedure was not performed but only planned by the three doctors, namely Dr. Pradit Kr. Mitra, Dr Rajendra Pandey & Dr Nirmal Maji their intent to attempt the procedure is condemnable and decided to direct them to refrain from attempting such procedure in future.
Read Also: MCI reprimands top doctors for attempting dog dialysis at SSKM hospital
The governor is the Chancellor of all state universities including West Bengal University of Health Sciences (WBUHS). The Governor's secretariat had written to the Health department to take appropriate action into the demands for removal of Pandey from the post of WBUHS vice-chancellor, officials said.
In a communication dated December 16, 2019, to the joint secretary in the state health and family welfare department, of the Governor's secretariat said, "for kind attention and appropriate action into the matter".
