Common people who come to the hospital from across the country for the services will severely be affected if the minister does not rethink his decision. [break]
The government provides assistance to the Bir Hospital for services provided to the common people. The account has Rs 100 million, which the hospital uses to buy essential equipment.
Minister Chaudhary sent a letter to Dr Thapa on Monday seeking his resignation within 24 hours.
Dr Thapa admitted that he has been asked to resign and the capital account of the hospital has been frozen. But the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) has not forwarded the minister´s letter to Dr Thapa. Bir Hospital is under NAMS which is an independent institution.
Before this, the minister has sought clarification from Dr Thapa over why he did not give a transfer letter to Nibha Prajapati, the staff nurse.
The clarification was sought after Dr Thapa did not execute the minister´s decision to transfer the staff nurse to the Mahakali Zonal Hospital.
Minister Chaudhary´s wife Gayatri was furious with Prajapati, when she entered in the Neuro ICU with her 10 relatives in October.
Staff nurse Prajapati objected saying entry of so many people at the ICU at once could lead to infection to the patients. “She just asked Chaudhary not to crowd the ICU,” Dr Thapa said quoting Prajapati.
Prajapati asked the minister´s wife to visit the patient one by one and wear the hospital gown before entering the ICU.
“But the minister´s wife chided Prajapati saying she was there to inspect her,” a staff of the hospital said, adding, “Prajapati replied that the minister´s wife was not the right person to inspect her work.” Gayatri then threatened her with stern action. Following the spat, minister Chaudhary sought her transfer to the Mahakali Zonal Hospital. The decision was opposed by various workers union of the hospital.
In a recent report, the National Vigilance Center (NVC), an anti-corruption body, also said that the decision of the minister to transfer Prajapati is illegal. Even the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has directed that staffers at the hospital not be transferred.
According to a knowledgeable source at the hospital, minister Chaudhary demanded resignation from Dr Thapa when his second attempt to transfer Prajapati failed.
“I am not obliged to execute the minister´s illegal decision,” Dr Thapa said.
According to Dr Thapa, the Supreme Court has nullified the decision of the ministry to transfer employees in the past.
“I gave the reference of the apex court order to the minister and informed him that only the NAMS has the right to transfer employees,” Dr Thapa added.
Fifteen different trade unions have decided to submit a memorandum to Minister Chaudhary asking him not to interfere in internal issues of the hospital.
Minister Chaudhary could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. Health Secretary Dr Sudha Sharma said she does not look after the issue. Another Health Secretary Dr Rabin Mishra also could not be reached for comments.
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