Remove Health Minister: IMA, Hoshiarpur, to Punjab CM

Hoshiarpur, July 30

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Hoshiarpur, has strongly condemned the uncalled for behaviour of Health Minister CS Jouramajra with the Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences, Faridkot, on July 29 during his visit to facility.

In a statement issued here, IMA, Hoshiarpur, president Dr Rajesh Mehta and secretary Dr Balwinderjit Singh said it was wrong on the part of the minister to publically rebuke and humiliate a high-ranking and highly respected and honest official, who has been overseeing the medical education in the state for years.

“The Health Minister threw every decency and propriety to the winds and indulged in cheap theatrics to earn some applauds from his vote bank. If as a health minister this is the respect one gives to high-ranking officials and doctors then what his followers would do is anybody’s guess. A society and a ruler who disrespects a doctor and a teacher are doomed to suffer in the long run.

“Even if there were some shortcomings, there are ways to deal with these. An explanation could have been called for and responsibility of the official concerned could have been fixed. The VC is not supposed to daily check every bed and mattress in the hospital. It is the duty of the government to provide funds for the infrastructure in public hospitals, and in a way the buck stops with Health Minister himself,” they said.

Demanding an immediate public apology from the Health Minister, the IMA, Hoshiarpur, requested Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to sack him with immediate effect and hand over the very important department of health to a person who is sensitive and compassionate to overburdened doctors.

State-level meeting in Ludhiana today

Phagwara: An urgent meeting of the Indian Medical Association, Punjab, has been summoned in Ludhiana on Sunday to discuss the next course of action against the Health Minister. IMA, Punjab, President Dr Paramjit Singh Maan will preside over the meeting. This was stated by IMA, Punjab, ex-president Dr SPS Sooch, who is also the chairman of the Hospital Board of India, Punjab Unit. Meanwhile, condemning the Health Minister’s behaviour, Phagwara MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal sought the immediate dismissal of the minister.