Doctor suspended for not joining posting at VSS

CUTTACK: The State Government has suspended Dr Bibakananda Kar, who has not taken charge of the Nephrology Department at the VSS Medical College and Hospital (VSSMCH).  The Government has deputed Head of Nephrology of the SCBMCH Dr Sashibhusan Rout and Dr Chittaranjan Kar of the Kidney Transplantation Unit of SCBMCH to the VSSMCH and start providing services with immediate effect. Both Dr Rout and Dr Kar would be attending to patients and rendering services like dialysis three days a week alternatively, Chief Secretary BK Patnaik has informed the Orissa High Court.  The Chief Secretary filed the affidavit on the steps taken by the Government to make the Nephrology department functional and start providing services to the hundreds of people suffering from kidney diseases. The Department, only one in the entire Western Orissa districts, had been rendered dysfunctional since the last three months due to absence of doctors.   Lack of dialysis facilities in the hospital had posed serious problems for the patients who had to travel all the way to Cuttack and Bhubaneswar to get the treatment.  The division bench of the High Court comprising Justice BP das and Justice I Mohanty had taken note of an application moved by Amicus Curie PR Das and directed the Chief Secretary to file an affidavit on steps taken to rectify the situation.  Das, after an inspection visit to the VSSMCH, has submitted that Dr Bibekananda Kar had not joined his position despite his transfer following shifting of Dr Chittaranjan Kar to SCBMCH.  The bench also on Friday directed the Government to submit a status report on the functioning of the Nephrology department as well as steps taken to address other problems as pointed out in the Court appointed Advocates Committee by January 9, the next date of hearing.The Committee in its report had stated that the condition of the Psychiatry Wing of VSSMCH was dismal sans basic provisions like lighting and security. The wing was located away from the main campus. The pediatric department located nearby was also suffering from serious deficiencies, the report pointed out.