Vimsar director Pujahari’s reign comes to an end
Subrat Mohanty | TNN | Feb 9, 2019, 23:25 ISTSambalpur: Director of Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences Research (Vimsar), Burla, Aswini Pujahari, who was sent on leave by the government following agitation by Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) of the institution demanding his removal, on Saturday tendered his resignation to governor. He was in the eye of the storm over his alleged yet-to-be-proved surgeries.
Pujahari said, “The government issued showcause notice to me and sent on me leave on December 7. I replied to the notice on December 14 and submitted the required documents and evidences. However, I am yet to get any response from the government. Hence, I decided to resign from the post.”
He said, “As the director of the institution, I had tried my best to serve the people and improve the healthcare facility at Vimsar. I also tried to streamline medical education in the institution. But I was sent on leave and even after around two months of giving reply, I am yet to get any response from the government.”
He said, “I have also sent the copy of my resignation to chief minister, chief secretary, health minister and health secretary.”
The JDA had resorted to ceasework on November 17 last year, demanding Pujahari’s removal from the post of director, alleging his indulgence in unlawful activities such as conducting yet-to-be-proved experimental surgeries on poor and destitute patients without their consent and clearance of ethical committee, harassing and humiliating poor patients regularly and supporting self-proclaimed social workers, who attempted to create unrest in the institution.
The JDA also alleged Pujahari threatened undergraduate and postgraduate students to implicate them in false cases and spoil their careers. He misbehaved with girl students in the name of moral policing, the JDA charged. The JDA also alleged that because of his yet-to-be-proved experimental surgeries, many poor patients of Vimsar suffered injuries and even some died. The ceasework by 240 junior doctors besides 150 house surgeons had continued for 21 days, affecting health services at the biggest healthcare centre of western Odisha badly.
Because of the strike of the JDA, a four-member team had also visited Burla on November 26 and 27 last year and inquired into the allegations made by JDA.
During inquiry, the team had also confronted Pujahari with a video showing his team pouring table salt into body of a patient during surgery. Subsequently, the government had served a showcause notice to Pujahari and sent him on leave on December 7 last year.
Pujahari said, “The government issued showcause notice to me and sent on me leave on December 7. I replied to the notice on December 14 and submitted the required documents and evidences. However, I am yet to get any response from the government. Hence, I decided to resign from the post.”
He said, “As the director of the institution, I had tried my best to serve the people and improve the healthcare facility at Vimsar. I also tried to streamline medical education in the institution. But I was sent on leave and even after around two months of giving reply, I am yet to get any response from the government.”
He said, “I have also sent the copy of my resignation to chief minister, chief secretary, health minister and health secretary.”
The JDA had resorted to ceasework on November 17 last year, demanding Pujahari’s removal from the post of director, alleging his indulgence in unlawful activities such as conducting yet-to-be-proved experimental surgeries on poor and destitute patients without their consent and clearance of ethical committee, harassing and humiliating poor patients regularly and supporting self-proclaimed social workers, who attempted to create unrest in the institution.
The JDA also alleged Pujahari threatened undergraduate and postgraduate students to implicate them in false cases and spoil their careers. He misbehaved with girl students in the name of moral policing, the JDA charged. The JDA also alleged that because of his yet-to-be-proved experimental surgeries, many poor patients of Vimsar suffered injuries and even some died. The ceasework by 240 junior doctors besides 150 house surgeons had continued for 21 days, affecting health services at the biggest healthcare centre of western Odisha badly.
Because of the strike of the JDA, a four-member team had also visited Burla on November 26 and 27 last year and inquired into the allegations made by JDA.
During inquiry, the team had also confronted Pujahari with a video showing his team pouring table salt into body of a patient during surgery. Subsequently, the government had served a showcause notice to Pujahari and sent him on leave on December 7 last year.
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