Workers complain against NCH

SURAT, July 8: Health workers associated with the Navsarjan Mahila Parishad, which is active in 19 slum areas of the city, have complaine...

SURAT, July 8: Health workers associated with the Navsarjan Mahila Parishad, which is active in 19 slum areas of the city, have complained to the medical superintendent of New Civil Hospital that the 8220;rude behaviour8221; of some doctors and nurses was making slum-dwellers stay away from the civil hospital.

In a written complaint, they alleged that doctors and nurses had not only abused slum-dwellers but also assaulted them physically. Such incidents, they said, were especially common in the labour room.

NCH medical superintendent Dr Khalija A Saifee, however, dismissed the charges as 8220;vague8221;. She told Express Newsline, 8220;I have asked all the health workers for specific information, including the names of the doctors and nurses, and the time of the incidents.8221;

Hafizaben, a health worker in the Shahra Darwaja area, alleged that on June 8, when she rushed four people injured in an accident to the NCH at 1.30 am, they had had to wait for medical attention till 6 am. 8220;As a result, two people Pramialaben, 35, and Puja, 7 died8221;, she alleged, maintaining that had the doctors attended to them on time, they could have survived.

Ramchandra, Puja8217;s father, told Express Newsline, 8220;The doctor at the emergency ward was so discourteous, he even slapped me when my daughter lay there dying8221;.

Saifee said all she needed was the doctor8217;s name so that he could be summoned before the health workers.

Navsarjan director Fr Vincent, however, was reluctant to take names. 8220;We do not intend to accuse just one or two individuals. This is a general complaint about the deterioration of services in the hospital. Now it8217;s upto them to set their house in order.8221;

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Saifee, on her part, has promised to look into any problem the health workers brought to her. But many, including a senior faculty member of NCH, wonder how far that will help the patients.

8220;The general attitude of civil hospital doctors is such that it8217;s bound to hurt someone8217;s dignity8221;, said the faculty member. 8220;It8217;s a fact that government hospital doctors are less courteous than those in private hospitals. When they join private hospital they become courteous.8221;