Tejashwi refuses to budge on Bihar doc’s suspension

The IMA on Saturday had written separately to chief minister Nitish Kumar and governor Phagu Chauhan, seeking their intervention to revoke the suspension of Dr Singh, who was suspended on Friday for alleged administrative lapses in management of dengue patients at NMCH.

PATNA: Bihar health minister and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Sunday refused to take back the suspension of Dr. Binod Kumar Singh, medical superintendent of Patna’s Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH), as confrontation seemed imminent between the Bihar government and the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which questioned the former for not suspending the bureaucratic head of the health department for the shortcomings in the state health sector.

Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav flags off 100 vehicles and 380 motorcycles for intensive spraying and anti-larval spray in wake of rise in dengue disease in Patna on Sunday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

The IMA on Saturday had written separately to chief minister Nitish Kumar and governor Phagu Chauhan, seeking their intervention to revoke the suspension of Dr Singh, who was suspended on Friday for alleged administrative lapses in management of dengue patients at the hospital, without being given an opportunity to defend himself.who was not given an opportunity to defend himself.

“The IMA is free to go wherever it wants to and to any level (for redressal of grievance) [The IMA had said on Saturday that it would support Dr Singh if he were to go to court against the government order],” Tejashwi said while interacting with the media on the sidelines of a programme held to flag off 100 vehicles and over 350 motorcycles for fogging and anti-larval spraying to control dengue, which has infected over 3,000 people in Patna in the last 50 days.

“This government is of the people and will work for the people... All this (demand to revoke suspension) is useless and frivolous talk... There are people with different mindsets everywhere who just want to make a noise... When you do good work, such minor obstacles will come your way. I don’t take note of them,” the deputy CM said , rubbing the demand to take back the doctor’s suspension.

Tejashwi also asked the media why the IMA did not ask the government to take action against 705 doctors, who were absent for the last 12 years despite being in the government system.

“The IMA should support the cause of doctors who are right and not those who are wrong. How can you endorse a doctor who’s wrong... who, as a medical superintendent, does not know where is the dengue ward of the hospital?” he asked.

Dr DS Singh, president of the IMA, Bihar chapter, on the other hand, questioned the government for not suspending the head of the health department for the lapses, and instead targeting doctors, who they said were a soft prey.

“There are not even 50% regular doctors and paramedical staff against sanctioned posts in the government system. Most are working as contractual staff in government facilities. Why doesn’t the government suspend the head of the health department for the shortcomings?” Dr Singh asked.

“How can you suspend a senior officer without giving him an opportunity to respond to the charges levelled against him? In the instant case, Dr. Singh’s primary charge was as professor and head of the paediatrics department. He was not a full-fledged medical superintendent of the NMCH. He was only acting as one, and did not have any power to purchase medicines,” said the IMA state president.

He said the executive committee members of IMA-Bihar would meet and decide about the future course of action in light of Tejashwi’s comments.