Teliamura: MLA queries elicit no valid response, SDMO breaks into tears

Teliamura SDMO Raja Jamatia on Saturday broke into tears at his office after an impromptu inspection visit by local MLA Kalyani Roy laid bare several irregularities and mismanagement in front of the public. 

Furious at the repeated complaints against the hospital authorities, the local MLA decided to visit the hospital physically and hold talks with the officials concerned.

According to her, she had been made aware of the dire strait of healthcare services in the hospital. The patients are not getting the attention which was required. Allegations of lackadaisical attitude in handling and disbursement of benefits pertaining to Ayushman Bharat Scheme were also raised. 

Recently, a good amount of money meant for the welfare of the patients had allegedly been returned by the hospital due to the lack of administrative competence to utilise the funds in a proper way. In addition, the MLA also came to know that the doctors had been avoiding hospital duties arbitrarily. 

All hell broke loose when the MLA found most of the allegations to be true on reaching the hospital. This time, it was her first hand experience. 

She noticed that hospital’s OT in-charge Samir Debbarma along with several other staff were absent from the premises and no one could provide a reasonable justification for their absence.

Visibly angry at the state of affairs, Roy went to the Sub Divisional Medical Officer Raja Jamatia and sought an explanation. But, Jamatia’s responses failed to convince her. 

She literally called all the staff and asked under what authority the patients are harassed in the hospital. She also lashed out at the Ayushman Bharat scheme officials for advancing what sources described as ‘lame excuses’. 

Speaking to the media persons after her visit, MLA Kalyani Roy said, “On several occasions, I spoke to the SDMO to resolve the grievances of the public. I don’t understand whether he takes note of the communications I earlier made or not. When the inspection visits are conducted by the senior officials of the department he intentionally stays aloof. I have also come across instances when he is officially on leave but his signatures are available on the prescriptions of the patients who availed OPD services. This is a clear violation of the standard rules and regulations.” 

She also asserted that all these issues would be raised before the appropriate authorities for suitable action. 

“I have been hearing all these issues for some time and hence I arrived here to see that many officials are absent without any prior notice or intimation to the authorities. SDMO failed to give any convincing replies to my questions. So far I know, he is not at all interested in handling the administrative affairs of the hospital; instead he seems to be more inclined to consult patients in OPD and in his own official quarter complex. All these issues will be highlighted before the appropriate authorities. We can’t let all this continue,” she said.