Editor,
While the statements given by Nazareth Hospital and Dr Veerabardhan prior to May 18, 2012 in your daily were more a result of fumbling desperation, the clarification given by the Administrator of Nazareth Hospital, Shillong published on the May 18, last is definitely a product of intensive, deliberate thought aimed at saving face. Readers of the ST may verify this. It is only natural that the Hospital Administration should try to salvage its badly hurt reputation, but that they did not offer their clarification immediately is interesting. Perhaps the Administration did not foresee such a barrage of criticism from various sections of the society. Perhaps they mistook a human being’s death for a mere statistic that with time would be brushed under the carpet without a whimper. Unfortunately for them, this time many have expressed their solidarity in addressing the issue of medical negligence to which each and every one of us is susceptible.
I do not intend to take names or to engage in a never-ending war of words with the Hospital through this daily. And I will also not go into details why a certain ENT specialist came to Sannjay Sharma’s residence, with whom, and for what. He has his conscience to live with! On my part, I have witnessed the death of a man left unattended in the Hospital. Since the Administrator was not around she would not have seen the flustered look in the faces of the doctors and nurses who seemed ill at ease about handling the crises. Those of us who were there were witness to the complete absence of a medical crisis management team. The blatant denial of facts after Sannjay’s death by Nazareth Administration is pathetic. I only seek justice. By defending the doctors who arranged and executed this fly-by-night deal, leaving the patient to die, the Administrator is trying to cover up a serious case of medical negligence. Sannjay is dead and gone but what of other patients going through or likely to be put through similar trauma?
Establishments have a way of protecting themselves even while they are fully aware of the truth! I also know that my protests will fall on deaf ears because the establishment will find a way to defend those whom they should have sacked by now. But by doing so, Nazareth Hospital is undercutting its own foundations and severely discrediting itself.
I therefore appeal to the public, and the enlightened citizenry of Shillong, to raise their voices so that similar wrongdoings are not repeated.
Yours etc.,
Vanita Kurbah,
Cognet Solutions,
Shillong-1
What is Nazareth doing?
Editor,
As a concerned citizen, I must say how appalled I was on reading about the Sannjay Sharma case. There is no doubt that this surgery was carried out without proper authorisation by the hospital administration or the kind of infrastructure that are needed for post –liposuction care. What is interesting is that the hospital authorities have not taken the ENT specialist to task who apparently is the key element in this horrendous episode where a precious life was lost. If the Nazareth Hospital does not take proper punitive action against this individual, it will raise questions about its credibility in the medical ‘business.’ For, what else is the so called noble profession these days, but a business? The attitude of the Hospital in addressing this issue reeks of secrecy, indifference, aloofness and an unpardonable compromise with patients’ lives and the faith that they repose in doctors.
Khlur Basan,
Via email
Matters sub-judice!
Editor,
Apropos to your news items under the caption “Court Relief for land owner” (ST 19 May 2012, I must inform you that the matter as reported is contradictory to the factual position. The reporter in keeping with professional ethics of journalism should ascertain the other side of the story for proper appreciation of facts by the readers of your esteemed daily. Earlier also such distorted facts as news items had appeared in your newspaper on March 29, 2011) to which I through letter dated March 30, 2011 had refuted, expressing my shocks and anguish. And this time I write to inform you that the matter is still sub-judice before LD. Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills Shillong.
Yours etc.,
Ranabir Chowdhury
Shillong – 6
Fake NGO?
Editor,
The Society for Child and Women Empowerment (SCWE) a Delhi based NGO under its project “The Rising East” is implementing projects in North-Eastern Region and recently in northern parts of Garo Hills claiming to empower skilled and semi-skilled people of the region whose craftsmanship has become extinct of late. It was mentioned in their earlier publication in Nagaland Post (14th Feb. 2012) that the project “Rising East” worth 534 crore, has earmarked Rs 130 crores for disbursement amongst the identified beneficiaries under the 1st phase till March 31, 2012. Thereafter in the 2nd phase the Society plans to set up 4900 Small Business Units in the NE Region. In the 3d phase it would be marketing the product across the country and the globe. Further in their statement, it was also mentioned that the Society does not receive any funding from the government or any other financial institutions but that the Government fully supports its mission and vision.
In this regard, I would like to bring to your notice that the NGO is collecting Rs 2534 from each beneficiary in the name of registration. I have been working for a development NGO based in Meghalaya for almost 7 (seven) years. Our NGO is funded by UNDP, CAPART, WTI, DFID, etc on skill up-gradation, poverty alleviation, conservation and community empowerment. Our NGO never collects fees from the beneficiaries and implementation of any program is never done without the prior permission from government administration whether it is local, district, state or national. The mandatory written proviso with the A·king Nokmas is also necessary. We also do not promise to give schemes to individual beneficiaries in monetary terms without identifying the technical feasibility. Any proposal for taking up activities like weaving, knitting, food processing, etc are accepted by the NGO only if the concerned Technical Officers of the government line departments recommend the project estimation. The SCWE in its ongoing project implementation has not bothered to sensitize the project holders in the community and has not taken permission from the government authorities or A·king Nokmas. The Society accepted whatever the estimated amount the beneficiaries submitted without a feasibility study. I also wonder how the Society is implementing projects without any funding resources whether from national or international funding agencies. I am aware that till date the high level executives of the Society had never visited the field where the project is being implemented. They have recruited some local people to execute the programs. After observing the manner in which their project is working in the region and also the complaints raised by the consumers in the complaint website, I am sure that the NGO is a fake one.
Yours etc.,
SG Momin,
Damas, East Garo Hills