WARANGAL: The two contractual doctors who have been suspended following the shameful upkeep of the RICU unit in MGH Hospital which led to rodents feasting on a patient, pleaded not guilty to the incident.
“We reported for duty at 9 am on March 30 and 31 in the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU). We attended to Srinivas, the patient. Both of us examined his feet and found them bleeding after the patient’s brother had brought his plight to our notice,” said General Physician Dr Md Abdullah Abeed and Anaesthetist Dr B Yakub Naik.
Dr Abdullah Abeed and Dr Yakub Naik were suspended on Thursday, the day their contract was to expire after duty hours. The suspension was notified to the morning shift doctors. Dr Md Abdullah Abeeb said neither he nor his colleague Dr Yakub Naik was aware of their suspension till Friday. “After learning about the action taken against us, we approached Superintendent Dr V Chandrasekhar and other HODs, but no help came our way,” they said.
Dr Yakub Naik said it was not their job to control rodents in the RICU or in other wards. “We in fact attended to the victim immediately after knowing rats had attacked him. It is not proper to take action against us without proper inquiry,” they rued.
The suspended doctors urged the State government to revoke the suspension and take action against sanitation contractors and others. “If the suspension is not lifted, the government doctors’ association would take to the streets,” they warned. Director Medical Education (DME) Dr K Ramesh Reddy was not available for comment.