Doctor sacked for reporting drunk on duty at Nandgaon Hospital

Nashik: A contractual medical officer at the Nandgaon rural hospital has been dismissed following allegations of reporting for duty in an intoxicated state. The action was taken by Nashik civil surgeon Dr. Charudatta Shinde on Monday.

The incident came to light on Saturday when a tribal woman in labour arrived at the Nandgaon rural hospital for delivery, but was reportedly left unattended for several hours. Alarmed by the delay, her relatives began seeking help from local contacts.

News of the incident quickly spread, drawing local political leaders and activists to the hospital. Upon arrival, they discovered that the doctor on duty was in an inebriated state. The discovery sparked outrage, particularly after activists revealed that the same doctor had previously mismanaged another case, unnecessarily referring a pregnant woman to Nashik Civil Hospital for a caesarean section. That patient, however, ultimately delivered her baby through a normal procedure.

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Disturbed by these revelations, the activists reported the matter to Nashik Civil Surgeon Charudatta Shinde. In response, Dr. Shinde assured them that strict action would be taken against the doctor. Speaking to TOI, Shinde said, "The doctor was recruited on a contractual basis. An inquiry was initiated, and the charges against him about joining duty in an inebriated state were found to be true. Subsequently, his contract was terminated on Monday."

Despite the medical negligence, the patient who had been left waiting successfully delivered her baby through a normal procedure early Sunday. Senior health officials confirmed that a private doctor associated with the Nandgaon rural hospital was called in to attend to the delivery in the absence of the assigned medical staff.

This incident has sparked wider concerns about staffing and oversight in rural medical facilities.

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Medical dialogues had previously reported that a doctor at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Siruvalur has come under scrutiny after allegedly telling a pregnant woman that she was not pregnant and attributing her abdominal swelling to bloating.