Asked to pay bribe at GH’s Ortho institute? Complain on WhatsApp
TNN | Mar 8, 2019, 04:44 ISTCoimbatore: In a bid to stop corruption among health workers and harassment of patients, the institute of orthopedics and traumatology in Coimbatore Medical College Hospital has introduced a WhatsApp number – 8072126943.
Patients and attenders can make a complaint on the WhatsApp number against any paramedic staff or nurse who demand bribe or ill-treat them.
The institute has also placed CCTVs in all the corridors and wards to further monitor bribe collection by the staff.
Posters have been stuck in the institute corridors and wards inviting people to send any complaints to the WhatsApp number. Paramedics, staff and nurses demanding bribes from patients for simple duties like changing their sheets, transferring them to a stretcher or their bed or taking them for a scan, has been a long-standing complaint in government hospitals across the state. Bribes range from Rs 10 to Rs 100 for these duties.
Director of the institute Dr Vetrivelchezhian said the main issue with acting against bribery was the lack of official complaints.
“Many patients hesitate to make a complaint fearing repercussions during the remaining of their stay, or they make a complaint but refuse to turn up during an inquiry and do not mention specifics,” he said. “When we get a complaint on WhatsApp, people can specify what exactly happened and the name of the person or people involved. And since we will have a phone number, we can call the complainant and get more clarifications, making it easier for us to initiate action,” he added.
The entire institute has also been brought under CCTV surveillance with cameras placed in both inpatient wards, corridors, scan centres, nurse stations and doctor offices. “Everyone is under CCTV surveillance from when they enter the institute till they exit,” said Dr Vetrivelchezhian.
“When we get a specific complaint on WhatsApp, we hope to find the incident occurring on CCTV, making our action stronger. The patient and complainant do not always have to come in person to testify,” he added.
Officials hope that the staff who know that they are being monitored by CCTVs and can be complained against by WhatsApp will be more restrained in demanding bribes. “We have put up the WhatsApp number in the corridors and wards, so nurses know that they can get caught and suspended if they demand bribes,” he added.
Patients and attenders can make a complaint on the WhatsApp number against any paramedic staff or nurse who demand bribe or ill-treat them.
The institute has also placed CCTVs in all the corridors and wards to further monitor bribe collection by the staff.
Posters have been stuck in the institute corridors and wards inviting people to send any complaints to the WhatsApp number. Paramedics, staff and nurses demanding bribes from patients for simple duties like changing their sheets, transferring them to a stretcher or their bed or taking them for a scan, has been a long-standing complaint in government hospitals across the state. Bribes range from Rs 10 to Rs 100 for these duties.
Director of the institute Dr Vetrivelchezhian said the main issue with acting against bribery was the lack of official complaints.
“Many patients hesitate to make a complaint fearing repercussions during the remaining of their stay, or they make a complaint but refuse to turn up during an inquiry and do not mention specifics,” he said. “When we get a complaint on WhatsApp, people can specify what exactly happened and the name of the person or people involved. And since we will have a phone number, we can call the complainant and get more clarifications, making it easier for us to initiate action,” he added.
The entire institute has also been brought under CCTV surveillance with cameras placed in both inpatient wards, corridors, scan centres, nurse stations and doctor offices. “Everyone is under CCTV surveillance from when they enter the institute till they exit,” said Dr Vetrivelchezhian.
“When we get a specific complaint on WhatsApp, we hope to find the incident occurring on CCTV, making our action stronger. The patient and complainant do not always have to come in person to testify,” he added.
Officials hope that the staff who know that they are being monitored by CCTVs and can be complained against by WhatsApp will be more restrained in demanding bribes. “We have put up the WhatsApp number in the corridors and wards, so nurses know that they can get caught and suspended if they demand bribes,” he added.
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