Beed, Oct 14 In a shocking incident exposing rural healthcare apathy, a labourer was forced to carry his unconscious 11-year-old daughter on his shoulders after being forced out of a government ambulance for failing to pay money for diesel, as demanded by medical staff in Maharashtra’s Beed district.
Amid outrage caused by a viral video of the incident, which occurred at Dindrud Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Majalgaon tehsil last month, the health administration has removed medical officer Dr Nilesh Dhakne from his post, Health officials said.
A proposal seeking disciplinary action, including his suspension, has been forwarded to the Commissioner of Health Services, said District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Ulhas Gandal on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on September 29 after the class 5 student collapsed at her Zilla Parishad school following a severe seizure.
The school authorities rushed her to the Dindrud PHC, where Dr Dhakne advised that she be shifted to an advanced medical facility for critical care, said Majalgaon tehsil health officer Dr Madhukar Ghubade.
“However, when the girl’s father and other family members boarded the ambulance, the PHC staff allegedly demanded money for fuel,” he said, citing the family’s version of events.
The girl’s father works as a manual labourer struggling to raise his four children following his wife’s demise.
“He pleaded that he had no money. However, the family was asked to get off the ambulance,” as per the preliminary findings of an inquiry.
The viral video shows the distraught father hoisting his unconscious child onto his shoulder and setting out on foot towards a private clinic, as the PHC staff looked on.
The girl’s grandmother alleged that when she broke down and tried to explain the family’s poor economic condition, Dr Dhakne told her, “If you cannot take care of children, why do you have them?”
On the instructions of the Beed Zilla Parishad CEO, Additional District Health Officer Dr Sanjay Kadam, Majalgaon tehsil health officer Dr Madhukar Ghubade and media officer Sandipan Mandave conducted an inquiry at the health centre.
During the inquiry, statements were recorded from the victim’s grandmother, father and uncle, as well as the doctor and other staff members concerned.
“Dr Dhakne has been relieved of his responsibilities as medical officer at the Dindrud Primary Health Centre with immediate effect. Until further orders, his headquarters have been fixed at the Health Department office of the Beed Zilla Parishad.
“A proposal for stringent disciplinary action has been submitted to the Commissioner of Health Services in Mumbai through the Deputy Director of Health Services, Latur, under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979,” said Dr Gandal.
Facing backlash, Dr Dhakne admitted his mistake.
“The ambulance is reserved for pregnant women, but I should not have spoken in a berating manner. It was my mistake,” he added.
In an unrelated development, the health administration has terminated the services of two contractual medical officers working at urban health and wellness centres in Ambajogai town in Beed district for remaining absent from duty.
(PTI News)
