Health department is alert on coronavirus, says Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

Sarma wants nurses to have civil tongues

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The behaviour of nurses of government hospitals towards patients and their attendants, according to what State Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma says, has left an uncomfortable question hanging in the air.

Speaking as the chief guest at a function for distribution of engagement letters to surveillance workers and staff nurses under the NHM (National Health Mission) at the GMCH Auditorium here on Friday, the Health Minister said, “For jobs one has many departments where one can work. However, when one takes the decision to join the Health Department, he/she should first inculcate the service mindset. When I visit the GMCH and its childcare wards, I do hear complaints about nurses telling their fellow staff that ‘the number 1, 2 etc has died’. It seems that a child is reduced to just a number among the nurses. For its parents, on the contrary, it’s their affectionate baby. Around 50 per cent of nurses do speak to patients and their attendants in a rude way. I do receive such complaints from attendants. This is one of the reasons why people prefer private nursing homes to government hospitals. The patients get the same medicines in government hospitals and private nursing homes. The only difference is the civil tongue which the nurses of private nursing homes use.”

Sarma further said, “We can take action, but against how many of them? We simply cannot reach each and every member of the some 15,000 nurses and some 10,000 doctors in the State. Such a situation is applicable even for the doctors. I’ve video footage of a GMCH doctor whose behaviour changes when he works in a private hospital, not too far from the GMCH.”

Sarma rued the fact, “Mostly poor people go to government hospitals. They are ill-treated because they’re poor. If someone from the family of the Chief Minister or a judge gets admitted in the GMCH or any other government hospital, the behaviour of the same hospital staff changes all of a sudden.”

When asked by a journalist on the coronavirus scare in the State, Sarma said, “The Centre has issued a protocol for us to follow, and we’ve already started it. Surveillance of air passengers is underway at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport. No coronavirus case has so far been reported in the State. However, we’re alert, and adopted all precautionary measures.”

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Health Pijush Hazarika said, “We’ve deployed a medical team at the LGBI Airport, besides keeping two ambulances standby there for emergency. An isolated ward has also been kept ready in the GMCH.”

Also Read: Bodo Accord marks a new era of peace, progress & prosperity in Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Also Watch: AASU and AAGSU reaction on Government of India signing Bodoland Accord with NDFB