Following several complaints and allegations of corruption against GB Pant hospital administration staff, the medical superintendent has relieved four nursing officers from duty and asked them to go on leave.
“In view of the allegations and ongoing enquiry, the following nursing officials of GB Pant are hereby relieved of their duties and ordered to proceed on leave immediately. Further, these officials shall make themselves available for enquiry as and when called,” read the order issued by the medical superintendent.
The nurses’ union, however, opposed the action taken against two nursing officers, saying they were the complainants in the case.
“… how can they relieve the complainants who raised the issue of corruption? Such action from the hospital administration shows that they want to shut down everyone who raises their voice against corruption and mismanagement. This is highly unacceptable, and all four unions strongly condemn the order,” said Liladhar Ramchandani, president of the hospital’s nurses’ association and secretary general of Delhi Nurses Federation.
Meanwhile, the nurses’ association, technicians, para-medical union, and SC/ST association, which had decided to go on a two-hour strike from 9 am to 11 am starting Tuesday, said they will go ahead with the protest.
“No staff or worker will raise their voice in future because of such action from the hospital administration. We will go on an indefinite strike and shut all emergency services if action against the two nursing officers is not reversed,” said Liladhar.
The nurses’ union also alleged that the nursing superintendent had been pressuring and forcing nurses to pay money for internal postings and transfers and that the two nursing officers had filed complaints with the hospital’s director. A purported audio clip of the nursing superintendent demanding a bribe had gone viral on social media.
The medical superintendent did not respond to calls and messages seeking a comment.
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