Cuttack: Doctors at the City Hospital today went on a cease work in protest against the manhandling of the Assistant District Medical Officer (ADMO) by the irate Congress workers.
Reports said some Congress workers had staged dharna in front of the City Hospital in the morning alleging that the hospital authorities have been providing poor quality medicine and not providing proper health services to the patients. Later, some Congress workers suddenly barged into the office chamber of ADMO Dr Abhaya Kumar Patnaik and ransacked office properties. Before leaving the area, they manhandled the ADMO and forcibly brought him out of his office.
“When I arrived at the hospital, I found some Congress workers staging dharna inside the hospital premises. At about 12.15 PM while I was working inside my office room, some Congress workers barged into my room and ransacked all office properties including, chairs, tables, almirah, computer and TV. Then they forcibly took me out of my office room to their meeting place,” he added.
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He also said following the incident, all doctors and staff of the hospital went on a cease work. “The cease work will continue until action is taken against the hooligans involved in the vandalism”, he informed.
Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr Prafulla Kumar Behera, who reached the City Hospital following the incident, said he found that the office properties have been ransacked and came to know that the ADMO has been manhandled.
“It is really unfortunate that the incident took place in presence of the police, who, instead of restraining the agitators, remained as mute spectators. All doctors and staffs of the hospital are not feeling safe as incidents of this kind have become a common practice. The cease work by the doctors will continue till the administration take necessary steps for a permanent solution to such incidents”, Behera said.
Asked about the incident, Cuttack City Congress president Mohammad Moqim said the allegation against his party men is baseless. “None of our party men are involved in the vandalism in the hospital”, he claimed.
But the Congress leader said his party men might have taken strong exception to the poor health services to the patients by the hospital authorities.
Meanwhile, following a complaint lodged by the ADMO, the Daragha Bazar police registered a case in this connection and arrested Congress corporator Sheikh Samimullah.
Protesting the arrest, the Congress workers gheraoed the police station in the evening.