KIMS medical staff boycott OPD

Doctors and medical staff belonging to the Rajya Vokkaligara employees association boycotted work at the OPD of the Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), alleging mismanagement.

On Saturday, they protested against the appointment of 650 data-entry operators and attenders, accusing the Vokkaligara Sangha, which manages the hospital, of misappropriation and irregularities.

"There is misappropriation of funds by the Sangha office-bearers and irregularities in appointing certain staff members in February. There is also delay in paying the regular staff members. Now, even the newly recruited are being denied of their wages," said Dr Vinod Kumar, president of the association.

While the hospital needs 170 nursing staff, the management had appointed just 11 and recruited an unusually large number of data-entry operators and attendees, Dr Vinod alleged, adding that the staff of the Vokkaligara Sangha's dental hospital had also joined KIMS in the strike on Saturday.

The protesting members said they had ensured the in-patients and emergency services remained unaffected by the strike.

Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha president D N Bette Gowda said the management appointed only 430 staff and not 650, as claimed by the striking staff. He also refuted claims of irregularities in the appointments and misappropriation of funds. He said an executive committee meeting will be held on June 21 to solve the issue.