In a significant decision, 28 resident doctors of Vadilal Sarabhai Hospital, accused of molesting and misbehaving with nursing students during Holi, were suspended.
In a significant decision, 28 resident doctors of Vadilal Sarabhai (VS) Hospital, accused of molesting and misbehaving with nursing students during Holi, were suspended for varying terms by the Ahmedabad municipal commissioner, IP Gautam. Three doctors accused of physical abuse and molestation were suspended for one year while 25 others, who were charged with breach of discipline, face a three-month suspension period.
The decision came after the Dr UB Shah committee, which was appointed by the dean of VS Hospital to look into the matter, gave its report to the AMC recommending suspension of the doctors who had misbehaved with nurses in full public view. Dr Jayant Tekani from the medical unit, Dr Prakash Patel from surgical unit and Dr Rajesh Panhar from the paediatric unit have been suspended for one year. All the doctors who have been suspended will have to leave the campus of VS Hospital till their term of punishment is over, Shah said.
Asked about the punishment meted out to the doctors, Shah said they had got away with lenient punishment in view of the gravity of the offence, as none of the doctors had been terminated.
The decision was taken at a meeting convened by municipal commissioner IP Gautam on Monday with deputy municipal commissioner (hospital), Captain Dilip Mahajan, and deans of VS Hospital, Shardaben Hospital and LG Hospital. Mahajan said, "We studied the report submitted by the UB Shah committee and the decision (on punishment) was taken after much consideration. We wanted to give them exemplary punishment, so we decided to lengthen the tenure of their education. Suspension orders would be handed over to the offenders immediately and it will come into effect from tomorrow."
On the possibility of resident doctors going on strike after this decision, Mahajan said in such an event the offence would become more serious and they would have to face the consequences.
During investigations, a total of 43 doctors were named as accused. The matter came to light after more than 100 nursing students gave a written complaint to the dean of the medical college about the doctors having misbehaved with them on Holi. The nurses had identified three doctors as molestors while the others had sprayed colours on them.
On the basis of the nurses' deposition, the investigation committee held the three doctors guilty of molesting the nursing students and 25 others of supporting them in the crime.
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