E-Paper
Sassoon Hospital staff upset over dean’s transfer
Employees wore black bands to condemn the transfer but did not stop operations as it would hamper treatment of patients
Resident doctors, nurses and other staff of the state-run Sassoon General Hospital on Friday expressed their displeasure over transfer of dean Dr Ajay Chandanwale amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Representatives of the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), nurses, Class III and IV employees assembled at the main premises of the hospital and registered their displeasure over Chandanwale’s transfer. He was transferred from the post of the hospital’s dean to joint director, directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER).
In the letter, MARD states, “The transfer of the dean at this crucial time of fight against Covid-19 stands baseless and we strongly oppose it.”
MARD representatives denied of any protest and said that the hospital staff had gathered to bid adieu to the dean who was leaving on Friday morning. “It was only a gathering not a protest and all staff ranging from class four to class one had gathered to bid farewell to Dr Chandanwale. We wore black bands to condemn the transfer but did not stop any operations as it would hamper the treatment of patients. Dr Chandanwale has always taken care of the staff and the hospital. The high mortality at the Sassoon hospital is because the patients come at a critical stage with severe co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic liver and lung ailments or have been refereed from a different hospital,” said Dr Prashant Munde, General Secretary of MARD Pune wing
Divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said, “A group of doctors and health officials had come to me on Friday with a few demands which also included their objection to the transfer of Dr Ajay Chandanwale. I have asked them to send their objections to me in a written format and I have assured them that I would do whatever is possible in my authority and forward the remaining complaints to state government.”
Nurses face issues
The Maharashtra State Nurses Association (MSNA) has written a letter to the Sassoon hospital stating the difficulties while working with Covid-19 patients. The letter states that less PPE kits and no access to essential items makes working there difficult. A member of the organisation requesting anonymity said, “We are given pizza and burgers which were ordered from outside. This is unhealthy. Nurses are the ones who are in close proximity with the patient and hence we should at least be given decent food. There is also lack of safety equipment.
