2 ambulance drivers suspended by SGH

They refused to transport bodies of COVID-19 patients despite orders

Sassoon General Hospitals (SGH) has suspended two ambulance drivers for allegedly not following norms and procedures set up as response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Both of them had been given a warning earlier but to no avail, which resulted in harassment of patients and their kin.

The two drivers have been identified as 53-year-old Nana Thorat and 36-year-old Tushar Munde. Officials said that the two flouted orders multiple times, hammering functioning of the hospital during the pandemic.

Apart from the routine issues, the casualty medical officer of the hospital complained to the management about the ambulance drivers’ alleged dereliction of duty. According to the complaint, Thorat, during a night shift, refused to transport the body of a deceased patient of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) back to the family despite being ordered to do so, saying that it was not his job. At that time there was no other way to transport the body, and it greatly inconvenienced the family of the deceased.

In a similar case, Munde, who was also on night duty at the time of the incident, refused to follow orders. A suspected COVID-19 patient was brought dead and was supposed to be shifted to the mortuary immediately late in the night. However, Munde refused to take the deceased from the casualty to the mortuary, leaving the body to lie there waiting.

The hospital has now taken two drivers from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) to drive ambulances. “There was no other option left but to take stern action against both of them. Despite several warnings issued to them, they did not to follow orders. While in a situation like this pandemic, when everyone is working hard round the clock, due to their ridiculous behaviour, families and patients had to suffer. This has also tarnished the image of the institute,” said Dr Ajay Tawre, medical superintendent of SGH.