HYDERABAD: How will you rate a salary of Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000? In fact, what sounds as a decent salary is the salary of experienced ward boys, who are Class-IV employees in government hospital, draw every month.
The two ward boys who demanded money from family members of Krishna Naik also drew salaries in this range. Their colleagues in the hospital said that when one earns such salary, pestering patients to give money is not wise.
Will there be any end to the menace of ward boys, sweepers, demanding money from patients who get admitted at government hospitals? Staffers in rank and file of major government hospitals in the city, doctors and officials in the State Health and Family Welfare department have little hope.
Both to be transferred to another district
However, stirred up with yet another issue of two ward boys demanding money from family members of patients at Government General and Chest Hospital in Erragadda, officials have decided to transfer the erring employees from Chest Hospital to another located in far away district.
This decision was taken in the hope that it will be a message to all employees in government hospitals. On Monday, two ward boys at the Chest Hospital demanded money (Rs 100-Rs 150) from family members of V Krishna Naik (25) to provide oxygen support and other services. The patient, who was suffering from Bilateral Extensive Tuberculosis, died on the same night.
The ward boys were suspended pending inquiry.
However, the punishment will be extended to transferring them to another district, away from their families, as the officials got to know that action was taken on one of the ward boys for a similar issue earlier. But back then he was allowed to resume duty in the same hospital.
Officials said that such actions of suspending and allowing them to join back the same hospital does not seem as a punishment.
“The decision was taken to send across a message to all employees,” sources said adding that special chief secretary Rajeshwar Tiwari was serious about the issue. For the punishment to be initiated, superintendent of the Chest Hospital has to write to director of Medical Education recommending the ward boys to be transferred.
Meanwhile, the committee which was formed to look into the issue began inquiry on Thursday.