High drama at Civil Surgeon’s office in Fazilka post-checking

Ugly scenes were witnessed at the office of the Civil Surgeon here today when paramedical staff had a heated exchange with a pharmacy officer posted in Faridkot district over his alleged interference in their working.

The incident took place in the presence of Civil Surgeon Chander Shekhar Kakkar. A video of the incident has gone viral in which Senior Medical Officer Eric, District Family Planning Officer Kavita Singh and others are seen intervening and preventing the paramedics and the officer, Sunil Kumar, from coming to blows.

Members of the Para Medical and Health Employees ‘Union, including union president Brodrick, alleged that the pharmacy officer, who accompanied the Civil Surgeon during his visit to the Civil Hospital this morning, took possession of the attendance register and took it along. They alleged that the pharmacy officer had also tried to interfere in the dope test proceedings on March 27, but no action was taken against him even as a complaint was filed in this regard.

Kakkar, who is the Civil Surgeon at Faridkot and holds an additional charge of Fazilka, while talking to The Tribune, said he conducted a surprise checking at the hospital in the morning and found nearly 50% of employees not present on duty.

He claimed that he had received complaints of some irregularities in conducting of dope tests. The Civil Surgeon said the pharmacy officer accompanied him as he needed his assistance in checking the drug store and monitoring the conduct of dope test. Kakkar alleged that dope tests were not conducted in the presence of a pathologist, which was a violation of rules. He said the report of those found absent had been sent to the Principal Secretary and Director, Health Services.

Paramedics, however, claimed that every dope test report bore the signature of a pathologist.