Four ayahs, two others suspended at Hubli KIMS

Minister for Medical Education S A Ramadas suspended six employees of the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubli on Monday.

The minister, on a surprise visit to the institute, suspended four ayahs Laxmi, Gangamma, Geeta and Kamalamma when patients in the labour ward alleged that they sought bribes to show their newborns. Clerk Mahantesh Patil was also suspended for delay in issuing birth certificates.

The minister also found that 38 employees were on French leave (unauthorised absence). The minister immediately ordered suspension of clinic supervisor Obaleshwar who had not verified the attendance for the past three months.

“Even KIMS Director B S Madakatti was also unauthorisedly absent for three days, and four doctors had not come for duty for the past couple of months. Two doctors had signed on the attendance list for Tuesday also. Notices will be served on all of them seeking explanation, and if needed, criminal prosecution against them will follow,” Ramadas said.

Outsourcing

He said notices would be issued to the agencies which were outsourced cleaning, clerical and other works, for their inefficient services.

He said a single-member inquiry commission would be appointed to look into the alleged irregularities in purchasing beds and medicines, and also to supervise the development works to be taken up at the KIMS.

Directors for the eight medical institutes in the State would be appointed within a month, the minister said.
New drug policy
On receiving complaints about sub-standard drugs supplied at the KIMS, Ramadas collected Diazerum tablets from the Out-Patient Department pharmacy for quality test in Bangalore.
“We are planning to formulate a new drug policy for medical institutes to purchase medicines from the companies directly at a concession rate,” Ramadas said. The minister also said government doctors have been prohibited strictly from engaging in private practice from May 1, since their salary has been upgraded to The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) scale.

‘No change in seat matrix’

Medical Education Minister S A Ramadas said there would be no change in the seat matrix for the admission to the postgraduate medical courses.

He told reporters in Hubli that the seat matrix was fixed as per the court order. Earlier, private medical colleges had agreed to give 33 per cent seats in each subject to merit students, and the linguistic and religious minority institutions were ready to give 20 per cent of seats. “Now, they are reluctant. However, we will not yield to their lobbying and the seat matrix will remain the same,” he said.

On the medical PGCET scam in Bellary, Ramadas said he would write to the director general of police to continue criminal proceedings against all those who were involved in the malpractices. The Court has barred nine candidates who secured top ranks, from attending the ongoing counselling after they were found allegedly involved in examination malpractice.