CHENNAI: The government doctors’ association condemned the act of Srivaikuntam TVK MLA G Saravanan, who walked into Eral Government Hospital in Thoothukudi with party members, at midnight on Thursday to conduct an inspection.
Videos of the MLA entering the hospital with a group of men and nudging the duty nurse to awaken the doctor in the duty room, went viral online, drawing criticism from doctors and netizens alike.
Demanding that the health department do away with 24-hour duty, the association warned of a protest and work boycott if such incidents are repeated. The Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association, defended the duty doctor, saying he was right to close the door and bolt it as there have been attempts of theft in the past there. The Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services should eradicate the ‘inhuman’, ‘slow-killing 24-hour duty’ and bring in a shift system, the body said.
The Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association said in a statement that recurring incidents of elected representatives and party functionaries engaging in attacks against government healthcare workers amount to insulting employees and the government itself.