All is not well in Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH)

All the patients who died were suffering from various ailments but not COVID. Sources alleged that since the outbreak of coronavirus, a section of doctors at GMCH was reluctant to treat patients suffering even from other ailments. While many serious patients were not admitted, those admitted did not receive necessary care and treatment.

"It is also true that a good number of doctors and nurses were exclusively engaged in the fight against COVID-19. But some doctors, who were not entrusted with the responsibility of COVID, allegedly neglected their duties. Such a situation led to the rise in the number of patients' deaths," the source added.

The scene took a serious turn when a defence official (probably from the BSF) recently died in the GMCH due to alleged negligence of some doctors. The death of this official was reported to the Union Home Ministry (MHA). Top MHA officials reported the matter directly to State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and asked him to take necessary actions.

Sources informed that Himanta Biswa Sarma who has been leading the COVID battle from the front was hugely upset with this situation in the GMCH. He ordered the appointment of Dr Abhijit Sharma as the new Superintendent of GMCH. Sharma has replaced Ramen Talukdar, who has been transferred to Lakhimpur Medical College. The head of the Medicine department at GMCH Dr Dhiraj Das has been suspended and Dr Achyut Baishya has been appointed as the new principal of the GMCH.

Sources added that the Health Minister, on Monday, even conducted a closed-door meeting with all senior doctors at the GMCH and gave them a "veiled warning" to perform their prime responsibility of serving patients well. "Any negligence to patients suffering from COVID or other ailments will not be tolerated," the source said while quoting Minister Sarma.

When contacted, a senior GMCH doctor said that it will be wrong to blame all the doctors for the alleged "negligence". "There are many sincere and dedicated doctors at the GMCH serving patients even risking their life at a time when COVID positive cases in the State is increasing every day," the doctor pointed out.

Also watch: Evening Bulletin | 8th June, 2020