2 doctors write buy medicines from outside, suspended

AMBALA: Haryana health and sports minister Anil Vij on Saturday gave a surprise visit at Ambala Cantonment Civil Hospital. During his visit, the minister asked the authorities to suspend two doctors for prescribing medicines from outside the hospital campus.

The minister said he had received several complaints from patients who told him that the doctors there were prescribing medicines which were only available outside the hospital.

Meanwhile, it was learned that the minister also chargesheeted one doctor under Rule 8 and called four doctors and one nurse for explanation following complaints against them.

“The minister gave a surprise visit at 1.55pm. Without wasting any time, he started interacting with patients, who were in the hospital for treatment. Vij collected prescription cards that had on them mention of medicines that were not available in the hospital. He also asked the senior medical officer (SMO) present there for an explaination.

Upon failing to get any satisfactory answer, the minister ordered to suspend Dr Gaurav Singla and Dr Ashwani Moudgil of orthopedics department. He also put Dr Vinod Kamboj of the same department under chargesheet as per Rule 8.

Meanwhile, Dr Kuldeep of psychiatry department, Dr Reeta Kathwal of general medicine department, Dr Pooja Sharma and Dr Rajesh of emergency out-patient department (OPD), and a staff nurse Sunita were asked to provide explanation.

“Further proceedings will be done after the explanation from the doctors and the nurse is received,” Vij said.

The minister also objected and questioned the senior medical officer, Satish Gupta, as to why most of the doctors were not available at the hospital at 2.15pm, when the patients were in the OPD.

The minister also conducted a thorough inspection of all the areas of the hospital, including OPD, emergency, pediatric OPD, obesity, immunization cell, medical, maternity, laboratory, wards, drug delivery, permanent registration, and birth and death registration wards.

While inspecting files of patients admitted in different departments, he took information on the hospital’s health facilities, medicines, and behaviour of the doctors. Apart from this, he also inspected toilets, drinking water and air-conditioners of the hospital. Vij also examined the records of the facilities provided to patients through the hospital’s ambulances.