Faridkot medical college staff strike work against corruption allegations

Employees of government-run Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital (GGSMCH) on Friday struck work against what they termed as “baseless and defamatory” content being circulated on social media about the institution.

Barring emergency care, the work remained suspended at all departments.

The protesting doctors and the other staff accused certain social media influencers of levelling corruption charges against hospital officials without any basis.

Representatives of the Medical Teachers’ Association, Nursing Association, Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA), Students’ Association, Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Civil Hospital Association demanded strict action against those responsible for “spreading misinformation”.

“Despite our best efforts, certain mischievous elements have been spreading misleading content on social media aimed at defaming the institution,” alleged the protesting doctors in a statement.

“These unfounded allegations not only demoralise the medical fraternity but also shake public confidence in a premier government-run healthcare institution,” the statement added.

They alleged that videos and posts circulating online falsely accuse the hospital staff of negligence.

“There is no truth to these claims. We are demanding that the government identify and take legal action against those who are spreading such rumours,” said a protesting doctor.

Local AAP MLA Gurdit Singh Sekhon visited the protest site and received a memorandum from the agitating doctors.

He assured the medical staff that he would personally forward their memorandum to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and press for action against those “maligning the image” of the institution.

Allegations of Corruption at Baba Farid University

The protest comes amid growing scrutiny of the functioning of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), the parent institution of the GGSMCH.

Senior AAP leader Arsh Sachar has publicly alleged large-scale corruption and irregularities in procurement and staffing within the university.

He has accused Vice-Chancellor Rajeev Sood of favouring certain vendors in tender allotment and promoting nepotism in key appointments.

In response, Sood has denied the allegations.

“These are politically motivated accusations aimed at tarnishing the reputation of a prestigious institution,” he said in a statement.

“All university processes, including procurement and recruitment, are carried out in a transparent and regulated manner. If anyone has evidence, they are welcome to present it through the proper legal channels,” he added.