the goan I network
PANAJI
Following the death while on duty of Mahesh Dessai, a 48-year-old male nurse at the Siolim Primary Health Center (PHC) last week, the Goa branch of the Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI), of which Dessai was a member, has alleged that Dessai died due to stress at work because of harassment meted out to him by the Health Officer of Siolim PHC and Raju Gawas, the administrative director of the Directorate of Health Services (DHS).
In a letter sent to the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC), the Chief Secretary, the Health Minister and the Health Secretary, asking them to investigate Dessai’s death, Kuntal Kerkar, president of TNAI wrote, “I ask you to immediately investigate the above matter”, stating that Dessai had “expired on duty” on January 11 after a massive heart attack as reported in his deah certificate.”
It is reported by his colleagues that he was under “terrible stress” at the work place due to harassment by the Health Officer of PHC Siolim and Director (admin) DHS Raju Gawas.
Further, copies of memos issued by Gawas to Dessai, and explanations by Dessai have been attached. Dessai was due to be transferred to the Canacona PHC, which he had learnt of shortly before his death.
Several memos had been issued to Dessai, for not doing his duty. However, sources say there is a dearth of nurses across DHS centers, including the GMC. While Nursing Council norms instruct that nurse to patient ratio should be 1:3, nurses have to tend to around 20 patients, making it an unhealthy work environment.
There had been several correspondences between Gawas and Dessai over the last couple of months with Gawas issuing memos to Dessai for “dereliction of duty” and exhibiting “lack of devotion to duty”, while Dessai had, while denying the allegations, responded explaining the tasks he was doing single-handedly.
A source also informed ‘The Goan’ that harassment of nursing staff of the DHS was not restricted to Dessai, with 14 staff being issued memos. Said one of the staff members, “We hope that at least now, authorities wake up to the grievances we have had for
a long time.”
