KDMC Suspends Hospital Worker For Using Cardboard On Patient

A sanitation worker at the Rukminibai Hospital in Kalyan has been suspended by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) for allegedly demanding ₹400 from a patient's relatives for plaster material and then using a piece of cardboard as a support for the patient's fractured leg.

The incident occurred on Thursday when a 54-year-old patient arrived at the hospital with a leg injury. After examining the patient, the doctor on duty advised that a plaster cast be applied to provide support to the injured limb. However, the sanitation worker, Mukesh Pandit, allegedly asked the patient's relatives to pay ₹400 for the material required for the cast.

When the relatives refused to pay, Pandit is accused of placing cardboard around the patient's fractured leg instead of applying a proper plaster cast. The incident came to light after a video of the patient with the cardboard support went viral on social media, prompting the civic administration to initiate immediate action.

An inquiry conducted by the hospital administration found that adequate material required for plaster casting was available at the hospital and in the Accident Department. Despite this, Pandit allegedly demanded money from the patient's relatives for the material. The inquiry also found that complaints regarding similar conduct had been received against the employee in the past.

The civic administration held that the alleged conduct amounted to misconduct and dereliction of duty and had also brought disrepute to the hospital and the municipal corporation. Following the inquiry, KDMC sanitation worker Mukesh Pandit was suspended with immediate effect under Rule 4 of the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979.

The KDMC Medical Health Officer, Dr Deepa Shukla, said a departmental inquiry would also be conducted into Pandit's conduct and further action would be taken based on its findings. The incident has raised concerns about the quality of care provided to patients at the hospital and the need for stricter measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

The KDMC has taken swift action in suspending the worker and initiating an inquiry, which is a positive step towards ensuring that patients receive proper care and treatment. The incident highlights the importance of monitoring and supervising hospital staff to prevent such incidents and ensuring that patients receive the best possible care.

The suspension of the worker and the inquiry into the incident are expected to send a strong message to hospital staff about the importance of providing proper care and treatment to patients. The KDMC's actions are aimed at restoring public trust in the hospital and ensuring that patients receive the best possible care.

In conclusion, the incident at the Rukminibai Hospital in Kalyan has raised concerns about the quality of care provided to patients and the need for stricter measures to prevent such incidents in the future. The KDMC's swift action in suspending the worker and initiating an inquiry is a positive step towards ensuring that patients receive proper care and treatment.