PANAJI
The planned strike by doctors at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H) over Health Minister Vishwajit Rane tendering an apology to Dr Rudresh Kuttikar who he had verbally abused has been called off after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who personally went to the campus agreed to accept all their seven demands including one which sought a protocol to rid the premier tertiary health care institution of "VIP culture".
The demand of the agitating doctors that Rane apologise in person to Dr Kuttikar at the casualty ward where the CMO had been harshly rebuked and on camera remained unresolved.
In a climbdown of sorts, the doctors agreed in their discussions with Sawant to accept an apology from the health minister addressed to Dr Kuttikar and sent through official channels.
Emerging from the discussions held closed-door in the office of the GMC Dean, the chief minister thanked the doctors for agreeing to call off their strike which would have crippled services at the GMC.
“All the seven demands they put before me have been passed: Banning videography and photography (in patient care areas), posting a police sub-inspector (PSI) at the outpost in the GMC campus, deploying 50 additional police personnel and forming a vigilance committee headed by health secretary which will handle all situations that could lead to a repeat of such an incident,” Sawant said.
The committee will also have the GMC Dean, Medical Superintendent and the Professor and head of the concerned department as members, Sawant added.
Sawant said GARD doctors, faculty doctors, consultants and other medical professionals decided to call off the strike after the discussions and in the interest of the people of Goa who depend on the GMC for their medical needs.
The doctors who organised themselves showing remarkable unity also issued a statement under the banner of 'United Doctors of GMC' which somewhat concurred with Sawant's claims.
In the statement, however, they accused Rane of "lacking the grace" to come to the GMC personally and apologise for his unruly behaviour.
"The Health Minister does not have the grace to visit GMC personally and apologise for his behaviour. His unrepentant attitude for the uncultured and arrogant outburst remains an indelible mark against him," the 'United Doctors of GMC' statement said.
Earlier in the day, like Monday, high drama played out at the GMC campus with dozens of doctors continuing to agitate in front of the Dean's office demanding that Rane apologise to Dr Kuttikar in person. Some held placards which read: "Public apology from him, nothing more, nothing less."
Apparently those agitating were mostly off-duty doctors as the services at the hospital, including OPD functioned normally through the day and no patient was inconvenienced.
Meanwhile Dr Madhu Ghodkirekar, a faculty doctor at the GMC, said one of the main demands was the apology due from the health minister but at the same time an issue cropped up as to how a government officer can demand an apology from the health minister.
"No government officer has the right to call a minister here to apologise. The health minister has apologised via social media, and that is okay, but we are awaiting a formal apology to be communicated to us through the official channel,” Dr Ghodkirekar said in the presence of Sawant, the Dean and other officials.
“The doctor (Dr Rudresh Kuttikar) had sought an apology not to himself but to the profession and the chair he represents. The minister sat on a chair he was not supposed to sit on and did what he did by sitting on that chair,” Dr Ghodkirekar added.
GARD meanwhile, has said that they were calling off the strike they had planned to ensure that the people of Goa do not suffer.
On Saturday, Rane had visited the GMC on what he called was a "surprise visit" with videographers in tow and launched a tirade against Dr Kuttikar, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at the Casualty Ward on camera.
