Situation in Sassoon Hospital deteriorates to point of no return

Panic prevailed this morning (Wednesday, June 17, 2009) at 11 in the Sassoon Hospital campus, right near the offices of the Dean and Medical Superintendent, when a horde of people were found screaming an chasing a man, alleged to have stabbed a hospital employee with a knife. Later, a morcha of the employees met the Dean Dr. Arun Jamkar and protested about the failed security system in the hospital.

The worst part of the incident was that though people were screaming and running behind the alleged accused, and asking the security people at the gate to nab the culprit, it is said that instead of stopping the culprit, the security staff at the gate showed cowardice and ran away themselves to save their life.

Some angry hospital staff and doctors were whispering that all this is happening in the hospital due to a failed administration and an incompetent Dean imposed on the hospital by some political leaders and bureaucrats. Patients, resident doctors, nurses, visitors, and even the head of departments of the hospital have been complaining for years about the lack of security in the hospital and students hostel. Nothing has been done to provide a full-proof security system, said a senior head of the department.

A look at the physique of the security personnel in the hospital premises, would make any one laugh. A shabby uniform and weak body structure makes them appear as if they are some kind of street beggars and not security staff. Another senior doctor said that if money is provided for hiring security personnel why not have the best that is available. A security man should have a strong body structure which would make even a criminal think twice of doing a criminal act. Here, the security staff does not even have a ordinary stick, forget arms and ammunitions, which of course are not required.

And then whispers are also doing round making mockery of the Dean of having pulled up one security men to perform the duty as his bodyguard. What is the wisdom of having a body guard for the Dean, was a question that was asked by one of the doctors in a group. The Dean is only making mockery of himself and downgrading the image of the hospital. The bodyguard for the Dean is a big joke. Why does he need a bodyguard and from whom does he have threat perception? Questioned another doctor.

It is high time that the government intervenes and takes serious stock of the situation before getting rap from the Citizens of Pune. From the prevailing situation that exists, it is turning from worst to worst and the only way to streamline the administration is the need to pack off the Dean, the Chief Administrative Officer and the Deputy Medical Superintendent who is incharge of employees affairs in the hospital. These all the three have proved more of a liability then an asset. The earlier they go, the better for the hospital and the medical institution. Let,s not wait for the situation to go out of hand, and then wait for the legislators to put Legislature Assembly Questions (LAQ) and embarrass the government.

It time to act now. Better late then never, should be the moral of the story of the hospital.

Jai Maharashtra, Jai Hind