PALAKKAD: In a surprise move the health department has closed down the laboratory and canteen of the Kottathara tribal specialty hospital in Attapadi.
The hospital management committee (HMC) also retrenched 150 temporary medical, para-medical and other staff employed by them in addition to the 20 canteen staff.
The decision to close down the canteen was taken by the new superintendent of the hospital Dr Mohammed Abdul Rehman after a meeting of the HMC. However, he said that the patients would be given milk, egg and bread as prescribed by the health department.
It is the only specialty hospital in Attapadi and closing down the laboratory, which made a profit of Rs 53 lakh in the last financial year, will force the economically backward tribespeople to get their tests done in private laboratories at unaffordable rates, which will eventually lead to most of them skipping the tests.
The canteen, which was operating on a profit of Rs 24 lakh annually, was closed down citing shortage of fund. This fund was used to pay the salary to the temporary staff running to Rs 17 lakh every month as against an earning of Rs 5 lakh monthly. With the canteen now closed, the tribal patients and their bystanders are finding it difficult to buy food. There is no alternative arrangement so far to provide the patients the food prescribed by the doctors.
Tribal organizations and others are up in arms against the Tughlaq-model reforms carried out by the hospital authorities and the integrated tribal development project (ITDP) officer, who is supposed to provide fund for food to patients and their bystanders. When the tribespeople are pleading to provide more doctors, medical staff and other facilities, the authorities are engaged in closing down the existing facilities, they said.
The dismissed tribal welfare officer at the hospital and state convener of Adivasi Bharat Sabha T R Chandran said, “Through these actions the tribespeople are being victimized and action should be taken against the HMC and ITDP for misuse of tribal fund.”
M Sukumaran, state president of All India Kranthikari Kisan Sabha, said, “The lab and canteen were closed down citing shortage of fund when money is flowing to Attapadi in the name of tribal welfare.”
Prebhudas welcomes probe
Former superintendent of Kottathara tribal specialty hospital Dr R Prebhudas has welcomed the probe ordered against him by the health department on alleged misuse of fund. The department has constituted a three-member probe committee headed by the health director and its vigilance additional director and Palakkad DMO as members. They have to submit their report within a month.
“I have not taken away anything from the hospital. All the payments were passed by the HMC in the monthly meetings. It is a joint account with the hospital superintendent and the HMC. The account details are available in the hospital office. Any probe is welcomed,” he said.
