The twists and turns to the high-drama at Hospicio over restoring dialysis services not only reflect the acrimony between Dr Venkatesh and the Directorate of Health Services, but also throws pointed questions over the role of the police. From using an alternate power connection and even sourcing an external generator Dr Venkatesh has come a long way fighting against all odds, including the police who have launched a sustained proxy war for their political masters.
There’s no love lost between Dr Venkatesh and Director of Health Services Dr Sanjiv Dalvi ever since he walked into the director’s cabin this summer and assaulted him over his
pending payments of Rs 72 lakhs. Dr Venkatesh’s earlier brush with Dr Dalvi dates back to 2011 when the director disconnected power to his dialysis unit at Hospicio, only to be
restored after the High Court directed to provide him with an Inverter.
The fire at the Hospicio annexe has long died down, but the doctor is still facing the heat from police, despite the fact that there is no eviction notice served on him. To all we hear, the Directorate of Health Services is still awaiting a report from the fire and electricity departments to make up its mind on serving a notice.
This brings us to another question: If there is no notice served yet, why are police pressed in and why are they hounding the doctor? And who is responsible for this police action? Policemen to the rank of PSIs and constables are posted at site in the guise of investigations into the fire. If they are stationed for a probe, why are they harassing the doctor and blocking his moves to resume services?
The way police have gone about their job restraining him and going to the extent of using a rickshaw to move the generator out of the premises, explains the political involvement in the plot. Police role in the entire episode is shady and only shows that they are serving their political masters. By no means can they stop the doctor from getting in a generator to restore his dialysis services, more specifically when there is no order to the contrary.
In this entire saga, there is however one big positive for Dr Venkatesh. It’s the rock-solid support of the patients, many of whom are coming from far-flung areas. These are the patients who have risked their lives and stood firmly with the doctor even when functionality of the units was in doubt. There are patients who held on to their medical emergency from morning to evening, without budging an inch. There are people who have even gone to the extent of spurning government’s DDYS offer of free dialysis services at four other city hospitals which are empanelled for such treatment. It is this relationship that has stood tall.
