The Hindu : Karnataka News : Work comes to a standstill as doctors stake claim to post

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Thursday, Jul 19, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Work comes to a standstill as doctors stake claim to post

Staff Correspondent

Superintendent of Chigateri General Hospital was transferred on July 13

He is yet to officially hand over charge to the new Superintendent
His doctor-wife has staked claim saying she is in charge of the post

DAVANGERE: Three senior doctors working in the Health Department have staked claim to the post of Superintendent of the Chigateri General Hospital. As a result, administrative work at the hospital has come to a standstill. Even providing healthcare to patients has been adversely affected.

The Government, through an order issued on July 13, transferred Sheetal Hiregoudar, who was Superintendent of the hospital hitherto, to the Health and Family Welfare Department. In his place, S.N. Marekkanavar has been posted.

However, Dr. Hiregoudar, instead of handing over charge to Dr. Marekkanavar, went on two days leave after handing over charge to his wife, Shantha, who is working in the same hospital.

When Dr. Marekkanavar came to the hospital on Monday, Dr. Shantha told him that she was in charge. She also told him that till Dr. Hiregoudar returned from leave she would be the in-charge Superintendent.

Taken aback, Dr. Marekkanavar informed the Director of Medical Education and also the Deputy Commissioner of Davangere about the developments and sought their suggestions.

As per their suggestions, he assumed charge of the office, though his predecessor has not formally handed over charge to him.

Dr. Marekkanavar says that though he has taken charge of the office, he would be a full-fledged Superintendent only after Dr. Hiregoudar handed over charge to him. He cannot carry out any work till there is complete transfer of charge.

Meanwhile, Dr. Shantha, who claims to be in-charge Superintendent, continues to occupy the Superintendent’s chambers, though she was sitting in the other chair as Dr. Marekkanavar had come in a little early to occupy the seat on Wednesday. When asked, she said that she was the in-charge Superintendent and that she would occupy the seat whenever it is vacant till she holds charge. She said she did not want to quarrel with Dr. Marekkanavar over occupying the seat.

Dr. Marekkanavar says as he has to examine a number of files, he would sit in the chair and inspect them. The question of vacating the seat does not arise till 9 p.m., he said.

When all this was happening, a senior anaesthetist came to the chamber and complained that there were no anaesthesia kits and that it was difficult to function without them.

Meanwhile, Dr. Hiregoudar, who reported for duty on Wednesday, told the hospital administration that he is going to Bangalore for a conference of hospital superintendents scheduled for Friday.

When a new officer has taken over, how Dr. Hiregoudar, who has been transferred, could attend the conference on behalf of the hospital? is the question that is dogging doctors and staff of the hospital.

It is a sort of “kissa kursi ka” situation in the hospital which receives several patients from five districts of central Karnataka every day. Many doctors at the hospital say that they had seen politicians fighting over a seat but it is disgusting to see doctors quarrelling like this.

According to sources, Dr. Hiregoudar, while he went on leave earlier, handed over charge to the Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of the hospital. He could have summoned the RMO and transferred charge to him this time too. However, this was not the case.

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