PANDM questions RIMS authorities
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 06 2019:
Asking if RIMS is being operated by the private agents of the pharmacies, People's Action For National Democratic Movement (PANDM) has questioned the apparent neglect of RIMS CMO, Medical Superintendent and Director that led to the alleged sexual assault of a girl child inside an EGC room some time back.
A statement issued by the secretary IPR, PANDM, today, mentioned that the people have starting losing faith in RIMS slowly due to many unfortunate incidents involving the hospital, one being the heinous incident of alleged sexual assault inside the EGC room of the hospital on October 4.Claiming that such EGC procedures were carried out by external agents in the past, it conveyed that if the unfortunate incident had occurred during such times, then the issue would have taken a very ugly turn.
This is also a glaring sign that the hospital authority is not doing its job properly, it alleged, demanding proper punishment for the involved individual as per the POCSO Act.
The RIM authority also cannot act like it has no part in this issue and instead, an inquiry should be conducted to find out any loopholes in the official process of the staff concerned and to punish all those who are responsible at the earliest.
On the other hand, PANDM raised the issue of numerous private agents of different pharmacies found inside the hospital complex who are supplying medicine to the patients.
Stating that there are no proper ways to be sure if the medicines supplied by these agents are indeed those prescribed by the Casualty Medical Officer or not, it alleged that when the prescribed medicines are not available, these agents will provide another medicine which they claim is similar.
PANDM continued that these agents also go around carrying cash memo books to give to the patients party and added that the most pressing concern is that the duty nurses often give these so called medicines to the patients.
Asking if it is indeed ethical to hand over a patient's life to such unknown and unauthorised agents instead of the hospital staff, PANDM asked who will be blamed when a patient dies due to such practices.
During such times, will the hospital authority try to run from the blame by claiming that the medicines were brought by the patient parties, it asked.
If so, then who is giving permission to these agents to operate inside the hospital and this also raises the question as to whether the Medical Superintendent of RIMS is allowing them to work like hospital staff or if the Director is giving them direct acceptance.
Whatever the reasons may be, all of these practices are not possible without some kind of approval from the RIMS authority, PANDM alleged.
If RIMS authority fail to take up strict action immediately, PANDM will be forced to intervene, it warned.
Cautioning the authority against risking the lives of the innocent patients, it demanded the hospital authority to create the post, advertise and recruit qualified people if it feels that such agents are a necessity for the hospital.
If RIMS authority fails to take necessary action, PANDM will approach the higher authorities and even send a memorandum to the Union Minister concerned, it warned.