Non medical staff stage protest against KJPA ‘silence’
SHILLONG: Alleging gross anomalies in the functioning of the Dr. H. Gordon Roberts Hospital, non-medical staff of the hospital on Monday staged a protest in front of the office of Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Assembly (KJPA), blaming Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr. David Tariang for the mess.
Hundreds of protestors marched towards the KJPA office at Mission Compound, Mawkhar on Monday and appealed to the authorities to appoint another MS, while alleging that Dr. Tariang had violated the Service Rules and thereby lost the confidence of the staff.
The hospital staff alleged that there is acute shortage of medicines that has forced people to buy medicines from outside. There are no equipments for conducting blood tests and the absence of a radiologist is forcing the patients to get their tests done elsewhere and bring the report to the hospital.
Speaking to reporters, a staff of the hospital said, “This is the first time in my 36 years of service at the hospital that such a crisis has occurred in the hospital. Dr. Tariang has been working here for 10 years only.”
She expressed surprised as to the payment of salary by the hospital even though the MS had claimed that the hospital did not have any fund.
Such was the financial condition of the hospital that on one occasion X-ray plates had to be borrowed from Shillong civil hospital, she claimed.
The staff lamented the delay on the part of the KJPA authorities to look into their demand of streamlining the functioning of the hospital.
The protestors wanted to meet Rev N.S. Phawa, Senior Administrative Secretary, KJPA, but were told that he was unwell and on his behalf, Administrative Secretary in-charge Mission & Evangelism, Theology Education Finance, Rev E.R. Kharkrang asserted that the issue has been assigned to the special committee.
Meanwhile, in a letter addressed to Rev Phawa, the hospital staff mentioned that the hospital has to shell out Rs 1500 for night duty to some doctors who had resigned but were requested to help the hospital during the night hours considering the shortage of doctors.