Massive Uproar after Goa Health Minister Berates, Suspends Medical Officer, Doctors Demand Apology
Doctors Strike
Panaji: Protesting against the recent incident where the State Health Minister, Vishwajit Rane, berated a senior doctor from Goa Medical College and Hospital and ordered his suspension, the doctors have given an ultimatum to the Government to issue a public apology.
The Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) has also demanded that the suspension be revoked, a fair inquiry into the matter be initiated and an assurance that a similar incident would not be repeated in the future. They have also demanded a total ban on any form of videography, including press/media in the patient care areas, and also urged the authorities to put an end to VIP culture in the clinical setting.
Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane lashed out at Goa Medical College and Hospital's (GMCH) Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Rudresh Kuttikar for allegedly misbehaving with patients during his surprise visit to the premier facility on Saturday and ordered his suspension, PTI has reported.
What Happened at GMCH?
The incident occurred when the minister paid a surprise visit to GMCH, located at Bambolim near Panaji. The state-run hospital with more than 1,000 beds provides medical services to patients from Goa and nearby areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
During his visit, Rane received a complaint on his phone that Dr Kuttikar was refusing to treat a patient and misbehaving, sources said. The video of the incident, which went viral, showed Rane walking into the casualty ward and confronting the CMO.
"You learn to control your tongue. You are a doctor. I generally don't lose my cool, but you have to behave yourself. However loaded (burdened with work), you have to behave properly with patients," Rane said.
"You are a doctor and here to serve the poor people," he said.
He then turned to GMCH medical superintendent Dr Patil and said, "Replace him (Dr Kuttikar) with another CMO. I will sign the file for his suspension. I want him to be suspended immediately, I usually don't behave rudely, but I can't tolerate this".
After the video of Rane berating the CMO in front of the staff went viral, the Goa branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) condemned the minister's action and urged authorities to immediately rescind the suspension and reinstate the doctor while ensuring a fair trial.
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Goa Resident Doctors Warn of Initiating Strike:
Condemning the actions of the Health Minister, the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) recently issued a Press Release and mentioned, "GARD unequivocally condemns the recent actions of the Health Minister, wherein a Casualty Medical Officer was subjected to shocking public humiliation, followed by an arbitrary suspension. The act of recording this distressing episode and disseminating it to the media constitutes a grave insult to the entire medical fratemity."
"The medical profession is built upon the pillars of trust, mutual respect, and adherence to due process. While we acknowledge and respect the authority vested in the Health Minister, the conduct demonstrated in this instance represents a serious breach of these foundational values. Publicly reprimanding a doctor while they are discharging their duties, without the benefit of a fair and impartial inquiry, is not merely an affront to an individual practitioner-it is an assault on the very institution of medicine," the association further mentioned.
GARD mentioned that such actions cultivate a climate of fear and intimidation, which is detrimental to patient care. According to the association, such actions discourage healthcare professionals from exercising sound clinical judgment in high-pressure environments, for fear of public censure or retaliation from those in positions of authority who ought to be their strongest supporters.
"This is not simply a matter of administrative concern-it is fundamentally an issue of professional dignity. GARD stands in absolute and unwavering solidarity with our colleague who has been subjected to this act. Let it be clearly understood: the morale of the entire healthcare workforce across the state has been grievously undermined by this incident," the release further mentioned.
The association has urged the Government to immediately revoke the suspension of the Casualty Medical officer and initiate a fair inquiry into the matter. They also demanded that the Honourable Health Minister must issue a formal, public apology to the officer in question and to the medical community of Goa for his deeply unprofessional conduct.
"Assurance of Non-Repetition: We demand a firm assurance from the government that no healthcare professional will ever be subjected to such a degrading and arbitrary ordeal again. Total Ban of any form of videography including press/media in the patient care areas especially in emergency/casualty department," demanded the resident doctors.
They further mentioned in the release that VIP culture should end in the clinical setting especially more so in the casualty department with a possible implementation of a policy where treatment in all areas, again emphasising especially in casualty, must be dictated by principles of triage and clinical urgency and not by the social or political status/affiliation of the patient.
Warning to initiate a strike if their demands are not met and giving the authorities a 48-hour ultimatum to take action, the association mentioned in the release, "We have sworn an oath to serve patients, and we do so tirelessly. However, we cannot and will not stand by while the dignity of our profession is not trampled upon. We urge the Chief Minister to intervene and restore the sanctity of the doctors' office and the dignity of the medical profession. Our commitment is to our patients, but our resolve to protect our members is absolute. Until these demands are met we will be staging a silent black armband protest against the very nature of the incident. Barring swift resolution of the incident within 48 hours we will be forced to escalate our mass protest in the form of strike."
Chief Minister Rejects Suspension Order:
Following the incident, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, and Revolutionary Goans Party also slammed Rane for "arrogance". Government sources told PTI that the chief minister invited Rane for a meeting in Panaji on Sunday. Subsequently, a statement was issued on Sunday stating that Dr Kuttikar would not be suspended pending a fair inquiry.
Taking to X, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, "I have reviewed the issue at the Goa Medical College and held discussions with the health minister. I want to assure the people of Goa that Dr Rudresh Kuttikar will not be suspended."
He said the state government and its dedicated medical team remain fully committed to ensuring the highest standards of healthcare for every citizen. "We also appreciate the tireless efforts and invaluable service of our doctors, who continue to save lives," Sawant added.
Reaction from Health Minister:
Under flak, Minister Rane on Saturday spoke about the incident; defended the suspended order. In an X post, Minister Rane said, "Over the last few hours, a lot has been said and written about an incident at Goa Medical College today involving and suspending a doctor on duty. I feel it is important to address this directly, not just as your Health Minister, but as someone deeply committed to ensuring that no citizen is ever denied basic medical care, especially the elderly who deserve our utmost respect and attention. I received a message from a concerned family member about how a senior citizen already in pain and medically advised to receive daily injections was refused the injection at GMC casualty on a public holiday. What made the matter worse was that the casualty had minimal patient load at the time, and yet, a simple act of compassion and care was withheld. I found this deeply upsetting."
"Yes, as the Health Minister, I did intervene and I accept that my tone and words could have been more measured. I’m not above reflection or criticism. I take full responsibility for how I communicated, and I assure you, such an approach will not be repeated," he added.
The Minister further mentioned, "However, what I will not apologise for is standing up for a patient who was denied care. Doctors hold a noble position in society, and most of them at GMC serve with great dedication. But when arrogance seeps into duty, when compassion is replaced with indifference, it is my responsibility to take action. Because if we let such behaviour pass unaddressed, we send a message that it is acceptable to deny a senior citizen or any other person medical help. That cannot happen in a government hospital that is meant to serve the public."
"There is often outrage highlighted on the same media platforms and among public when things go wrong at GMC “Doctors don’t care, nurses don’t listen, no one takes responsibility. We were made to wait for basic treatment.” And rightly so. But when corrective action is taken, it is equally important that we support efforts to fix the system, not tear them down. I did what I did in defence of a helpless, elderly woman. And I will continue to speak up, act, and fight for the rights of every patient who walks into our hospital. Let us strive together for better services, more empathy, and a culture of healing that respects both the medical profession and the patients we are here to serve," he added.
Reacting to the post, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), asked the Minister to apologise to the doctors.
