The controversy over a surprise inspection at the Thiruvalla taluk hospital by Health Minister Veena George has taken a new turn with the hospital superintendent seeking explanations from as many as six medical officers for their absence from the Out Patient (OP) wing of the hospital.
In a show-cause notice, the hospital superintendent said only three doctors were present at the OP wing when the Health Minister visited the hospital at 10.30 a.m. on August 6. Of the remaining six, four had marked their attendance but were not present at the OP while the other two failed to sign in.
The notice also asked to one doctor to explain her failure to mark attendances on the previous couple of days as well.
The notices were served even as the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association—a union of government doctors, observed a black day at the hospital on Monday as a mark of protest against the alleged public trail of the doctors by Health Minister. Taking up the cudgels for the doctors in question, the outfit has criticised the State government for its inability to address the shortage of medicines and accused Ms. George of attempting to deviate the public ire towards the doctors.
During a visit to the hospital here the other day, the Minister had publicly admonished the hospital superintendent for the alleged lapses in hospital administration. The inspection, according to sources, followed specific complaints against the hospital.
