Riled by Gandhi doctors ongoing row, Eatala Rajender moots probe into allegations

Hyderabad: Reacting sharply to ongoing doctors' feud in Gandhi Hospital, Health Minister Eatala Rajender is understood to have decided to call for a vigilance enquiry to probe into allegations of corruption and scam in house surgeons attendance, sanitation and security contracts in the hospital. Also, the power of superintendents of all teaching hospitals with regards to house surgeons attendance has been axed with new powers to be vested with Health department's head (senior IAS officer holding the post of principal secretary or special chief secretary), who would be directly overseeing the process hereafter. This decision is understandably taken in wake of allegations levelled against Gandhi Superintendent office that irregularities took place in awarding certificates to interns from last few batches despite them skipping the mandatory house surgeon period.

Health Minister has elicited views of HoDs of various wings in the Health department on this subject at a meeting held at MCRHRD Institute, Jubilee Hills on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the decision for vigilance probe comes in the backdrop of corruption allegations levelled by Dr Vasanth, the casualty medical officer at Gandhi Hospital, who has been surrendered to Directorate of Health as a disciplinary action. He said he got enough information through RTI and hence was raising his voice much to the dislike of Gandhi administration.

This would be the second case of a probe initiated after allegations of corruption rocked the Health department.

Already Vigilance and Enforcement (V & E) and ACB have been tasked with the probe in ESI medicine purchase scam that involved senior officials of the wing.

Eatala said in the meeting that whatever happened in Gandhi was uncalled for and strict action would be taken to ensure such acts are not repeated in the future. He stressed system is more important than any individual. He called upon doctors to exercise restraint and not do any actions which would make the public lose faith in the Health department.

With regard to MBBS interns, Eatala said that they should have 100 percent attendance for the mandatory house surgeon period as practical knowledge is very key for them to graduate into better doctors in future.

He added that superintendents of teaching hospitals would no longer have authority to look into and decide on house surgeons attendance and giving certificates from hereon.

Eatala said that Telangana would study best practices being implemented in teaching hospitals in other States some of which would be deliberated and introduced here if needed.