 |
| Locals staged protest in front of Chavakachcheri Base hospital urging authorities to resolve the crisis situation immediately. Pix by. S.Rubatheesan |
Last Friday, a fourteen-year-old girl with minor injuries on her hand after falling from her bicycle was taken to Chavakachcheri Base Hospital for treatment but only to be told that the hospital was dysfunctional as doctors had withdrawn from duties.
Her parents took her to one of the three private hospitals located near the Base Hospital where they were handed in a total bill of Rs 7100 for dressing charges which included three stitches to the injury.
For three days since last Wednesday, Medical Officers and Consultants attached to the hospital withdrew from their duties due to new administrative steps introduced by the Acting Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Ramanathan Archchuna who assumed duties on June 14.
He was appointed to cover up the duties after the post was vacated by the outgoing officer.
His public criticism through his personal Facebook account on the conduct of Consultants and Medical Officers attached to the hospital and shortcomings in developing the Base hospital facilities despite millions of diaspora funds channelled through to the hospital in recent years went viral in social media platforms this week.
He alleged that among the 25 Medical Officers and Consultants attached to the hospital, only handful of them report to duty as scheduled.
Dr Archchuna also alleged that the new building complex of the Accident and Emergency Care Unit (A&E) which was declared open three times in past with funds received from international multi-donor agencies, and diaspora outfits is yet to be operational due to lack of support from medical officers currently attached to the hospital.
The unit was declared open for the last time on October 10, 2022, with the participation of senior health officers in the province.
Fueled by the criticism levelled against the medical doctors and Consultants by the MS and ongoing trade union action, residents of Chavakachcheri staged a massive protest in front of the hospital on Monday extending solidarity with the MS and urged health authorities to rectify the situation urgently.
Following the protest, Dr Archchuna left the hospital after being summoned to the Health Ministry in Colombo. Meanwhile, Dr G. Rajeev, who was appointed to cover up assumed duties within hours with the presence of Provincial and Regional Directors of Health Services.
Addressing the media last Friday (July 5), Dr V.P.S. Pathirana, Provincial Director of Health (Northern Province) said that the “unacceptable and irresponsible behaviour of current MS forced his office to remove him from the current post and appoint another Acting officer to resolve the crisis situation considering patients’ right to be treated.
“After this MS assumed duties, there were a lot of complaints against him and misconducts reported to us. Two days ago, a team of medical officers and Consultants came to my office to inform me that there was no conducive environment to carry out their duties. There were a lot of interruptions from the MS,”
After his office informed the Provincial Hierarchy and Line Ministry, Dr Pathirana claimed that he was instructed to appoint an Acting MS to the Base Hospital and transfer Dr Archchuna to the Provincial Health Services Office with immediate effect.
“In the interest of patients’ right to be treated, I was trying to implement that order but he (MS) obstructed my duties. I went twice- even today (July 5) to facilitate the taking over cover-up duties by the new Acting MS. He obstructed our duties again and we had to lodge a complaint,” the Provincial Director said.
“An inquiry is currently underway in the Line Ministry based on the complaints we have received. Until the findings of preliminary investigations, we cannot say who is guilty or not. But considering the patients’ rights, we have to make some kind of arrangement to withdraw the present MS and appoint another,” Dr Pathirana said.
Dr Archchuna attended a meeting on Friday at the Health Ministry in Colombo with senior Ministry officials over the recent incidents in the base hospital. The meeting lasted over two hours.
“I have explained to them in detail about the things which transpired in recent days in Chavakachcheri. I told my side of the story and rationale behind the decisions I took during my tenure as Acting MS,” Dr Archchuna told the Sunday Times.
Dr Archchuna expressed hopes that he would return to North soon with a new task but stressed that he was also approached to work on new project titled “Health Reformation” that comes under the direct purview of the Health Ministry as well. (Published on the Sunday Times - July 14, 2024)
Post a Comment