Visakhapatnam:
A total of 12 doctors, a staff nurse, and a technician at King George Hospital (KGH) have been served show cause notices for their absence during a surprise inspection by Visakhapatnam’s in-charge minister, Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, and the Additional Director of Medical Education, Dr. Venkatesh.
Healthcare Professionals Issued Notices
The 14 healthcare professionals who were found absent during the inspection include Dr. L.R.S. Girinath, Dr. Sridevi, Dr. Vamsi Yadav, Dr. Mohan Vamsi, Dr. G. Prasad, Dr. Ratnaprabha, Dr. Y.S. Anitha, Dr. Chakravarthy, Dr. V.S.N. Murthy, Dr. K. Narsinga Rao, Dr. Kiran Kumar, and Dr. J.S.K.V. Chakravarthy, along with anaesthesia technician Ch. Amar Babu and head nurse K. Sujatha.
Hospital Superintendent Issues Warning
The hospital superintendent, Dr. K. Sivanand, has asked the concerned staff to explain their absence and justify why action should not be taken against them. The employees have been given a deadline of Saturday to respond to the show cause notices.
Minister’s Surprise Inspection Sparks Controversy
The surprise inspection, which took place on April 18, focused on the Outpatient (OP) and Casualty departments. During the inspection, Minister Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy observed that several senior doctors, including professors and associate professors in the gastroenterology and nephrology departments, were absent. Only postgraduate doctors were present to attend to patients, which angered the minister. As a result, the district collector, M.N. Harendhira Prasad, was directed to issue show cause notices to the absent staff.
Outrage from the Medical Fraternity
This action has sparked outrage among the medical community at KGH, with many expressing dissatisfaction over the large number of staff members being issued show cause notices at once. The move comes at a time when the state is already dealing with a significant shortage of medical staff.
State Government Scrutiny of Healthcare Staff
Previously, Medical Dialogues reported that nearly 1,194 doctors, 252 nurses, and over 300 other hospital staff members were facing termination or show cause notices from the state government for alleged unauthorized absences. The scrutiny comes as the state continues to grapple with a shortage of medical personnel, with approximately 2,000 government employees across various state hospitals under investigation for failing to report to their assigned duties.
