Doctors in Mysuru on Sunday called off their four-day strike while the Karnataka Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) too decided to withdraw their call for striking work from Monday after the government conceded their demands over the alleged suicide of Nanjangud in-charge Taluk Health Officer (THO) S.R. Nagendra.
As the striking doctors stuck to their demand and sought action against the Mysuru ZP CEO Prashanth Kumar Mishra, the government on Saturday transferred him without a posting and Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar was given the additional charge of the CEO.
In addition to this, Health Minister B. Sriramulu assured them of initiating further action after discussing the matter with Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.
The decision has come as a major relief to the government since the strike had affected healthcare services, especially COVID-19 testing across Mysuru district, as the doctors and other staff of the Department of Health and Family Welfare struck work demanding justice for the 43-year-old doctor, who they claimed was under pressure over ‘unrealistic’ targets entrusted to him for collecting swab samples for COVID-19 testing in the taluk.
Despite the CM’s assurance of an impartial probe, the doctors had continued their strike, bringing COVID-19 testing to a complete halt. With no testing, the number of cases from Mysuru showed ‘zero’ in the State bulletin since Friday.
The KGMOA on Sunday said the strike had been withdrawn conditionally and services would resume from Monday with doctors wearing black armbands until the inquiry report was submitted.
FIR against CEO
Meanwhile, acting on a complaint from Dr. Nagendra’s father, Mr. Ramachandra, the Alanahalli Police have registered an FIR against the Mysuru ZP CEO on Thursday under Section 306 of the IPC (Abetment to suicide).
In the complaint, Mr. Ramachandra said his son was under pressure to meet targets given to him over COVID-19 testing. His son had brought to the notice of higher officials, including the CEO and the DHO, the lack of facilities and manpower for discharging additional responsibilities vested on him. Dr. Nagendra, who was the health officer at Kudlapura PHC in Nanjangud taluk holding the additional charge of THO, had also requested that he be relieved of the additional charge. His request was not considered and he had been warned of being booked under the National Disaster Management Act if he failed to meet targets.
His son, Mr. Ramachandra said, died by suicide owing to pressure and alleged persecution, and demanded action against the ZP CEO.
Meanwhile, the KGOMA that had submitted a letter to the respective deputy commissioners that they would boycott all work except emergencies services from Monday, has decided to withdraw their protest. “None of the doctors in the State will boycott any duty,” said KGOMA Secretary G.A. Srinivas.
Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar in a tweet thanked the doctors for calling off the strike. He said that the State government was aware of the problems of the doctors in the light of the pandemic and said the government would resolve the same.
Doctors as nodal officers
KGMOA State Vice-President Devi Anand told The Hindu in Mysuru on Sunday that government doctors are being overworked since the COVID-19 outbreak and Dr. Nagendra had been staying alone out of fear of contracting the contagion and spreading it to his family.
He said the KGMOA has demanded the appointment of medical officers as COVID-19 nodal officers for better management of the pandemic. “They (doctors) understand better than other officers,” he argued.
Dr. Anand, who is the Mysuru district president of KGMOA, said COVID-19 testing will fully resume from Monday. Mysuru alone is facing 40% shortage of doctors and other healthcare staff. Doctors on COVID-19 duty are working continuously without a break for five months, he said, urging the government to expedite the appointment of doctors to ease work pressure.
Revoke ZP CEO’s transfer: Mysuru PDOs
The Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) of Mysuru district have opposed the transfer of Mysuru ZP CEO Prashanth Kumar Mishra and come out in support of him.
Demanding the withdrawal of his transfer, the Mysuru district committee of Karnataka State PDOs’ Welfare Association has planned to hold a demonstration here on Monday. “We have sought police permission for the protest and a memorandum will be submitted to the office of Regional Commissioner, Mysuru,” an office-bearer said.
The association stated that it too seeks justice for Nanjangud THO S.R. Nagendra but questioned the CEO’s transfer before the inquiry was complete and report submitted.
