Following widespread criticism over Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s public admonishment to Dr Rudresh Kuttikar in Goa Medical College and Hospital’s emergency ward on Saturday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday announced that the Dr Kuttikar will not be suspended as he has discussed the issue with Rane.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Chief Minister said, “I have reviewed the issue at Goa Medical College and held discussions with the Health Minister. I want to assure the people of Goa that Dr Rudresh Kuttikar will not be suspended."
“The State government and our dedicated medical team remain fully committed to ensuring the highest standards of healthcare for every citizen. We also appreciate the tireless efforts and invaluable service of our doctors, who continue to save lives,” Sawant said.
The assurance came from the chief minister after the medical fraternity as well as the Opposition criticised the health minister for publicly humiliating the doctor serving at the state's premier hospital.
Meanwhile, Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) said the act of recording the distressing episode and disseminating it to the media constituted a grave insult to the entire medical fraternity.
Speaking to O Heraldo, advocate Melissa Simoes said, “No government servant should be treated in this manner. Person representing the public has no business to behave in this manner. If one has to reprimand a person for misbehaving they cannot misbehave and reprimand them. This is definitely not leadership or good leadership by any stretch of imagination. There is a process for everything and due process has to be followed. One cannot barge into a well functioning hospital, create a ruckus and leave.”
Meanwhile, the National Students Union of India (NSUI) has written to the President and the Chief Minister demanding dismissal of the health minister from the cabinet.
Alert Citizens of Goa member Advocate Mahesh Mahambrey said, “Recently Chief Minister Pramod Sawant declared the State as 100 percent educated. But we see the behaviour of MLAs does it indicate that we are educated?. The chief minister must take action against the minister before it is too late.”
Congress leader Tulio De Souza, “This is not an attack not on one doctor but an attack on the entire medical fraternity of Goa. There is disquiet even in the doctors of private hospitals.”
The Goa State Chapter of the Association of Surgeons of India (ASI) has strongly condemned what it described as “undignified and utterly disrespectful” behaviour by Goa’s Health Minister towards a casualty medical officer on duty at GMC.