MYSURU: Doctors and other medical professionals from Mysuru, who were protesting for the last three days demanding the suspension of IAS officer Prashanth Kumar Mishra, called off the strike and decided to resume work from Monday.
They had boycotted all services, except the emergency, following the suicide of Dr Nagendra, the health officer of Nanjangud taluk, allegedly over harassment by Mysuru Zilla Panchayat CEO Prashanth Kumar Mishra.
Members of medical and government health officers associations had warned that they would intensify the protest if the government fails to suspend Mishra immediately. On Sunday, the government transferred Mishra and placed Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Sankar as in-charge until further orders.
“In the interest of the public, we are calling off the protest. We welcome the government’s decision, but we demand a fair and unbiased inquiry into the issue and the report must be submitted within seven days, as Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said,” said Dr Devi Anand, district president of Karnataka Government Medical Officers Association.
He said the government should not appoint IAS or KAS officers as nodal officers for Covid management. “Instead, public health experts or anyone with experience in the medical field should be appointed,” he added. The members also demanded an apology from Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar for his remarks against doctors.