Team Herald

PANJIM: The junior and senior resident doctors at Goa Medical College have been barred from speaking on the health status of the in-patients to their family members and/or relatives, after senior residents alleged harassment of a junior colleague over a similar issue. 

The circular, issued by Director (Administration) Dattaram Sardessai on Tuesday, is applicable for the elected representatives. “Any person/relative, including elected representatives of the people visiting GMC to know the condition/status of the patient, should contact the concerned unit head and not junior/senior residents in the ward. In case of visits in the casualty they should consult the concerned casualty medical officer/public relation officer in casualty,” it says, copy of which is also marked to the office of Health Minister and additional Secretary (Health) besides all heads of departments, medical superintendents and matrons’ office.

The advisory comes in the wake of an incident wherein a junior resident, posted on emergency in CCU 143 Ward, was asked to write an apology to an MLA for delaying to give health status of a patient. “She was taking rounds in the ward when she was asked the condition of a patient by a visitor. That person did not disclose his identity. Since she was posted in that ward on an emergency duty on a Sunday, she wasn’t really aware about the patient so she told him to give her some time. Meanwhile, a new admission came to the CCU, requiring urgent attention. She got busy with the new patient. On being asked again, she politely requested the person to give her some time. He got angry and threatened her of action claiming he is an MLA,” the senior residents said while raising the matter with Dean Pradeep Naik.

As per the seniors, she was taken from one office to another with threat of being suspended. “She started to cry. She was then asked to write an apology letter to the MLA which she did,” the residents said demanding the GMC to set up GARD Committee.

The dean thereafter said that the matter was settled with no action against the junior doctor. The MLA was, however, not available for comments.