Tempers ran high at the general body meeting of Junior Doctors Association (JDA) held in the evening. Junior doctors passed resolution stating that it was imperative to suspend pedodontics HoD as he might influence the probe instituted by the university. They also demanded that vice-chancellor should supervise the Master of Dental Science examinations so that Prof Pandey could not influence resident witnesses in the case. They will meet vice-chancellor on Tuesday to press for their demands.
Intensifying their agitation against Prof RK Pandey, head of the pedodontics department of the King George's Medical University (KGMU), junior doctors on Monday observed black day on the campus.
They asked KGMU administration to put the HoD under suspension till the pendency of the inquiry against him into allegations of harassment of a female resident doctor. They also threatened to go on strike, if their demands were not met by the KGMU administration.
Junior doctors also accused Prof Pandey of misleading the university administration by levelling false allegations against senior resident Dr Sanjai Julka and a couple of faculty members.
Prof Pandey, in his reply submitted to the university administration, had said accused Dr Julka of conspiring against him only because he had instituted an inquiry and recommended action against Dr Julka after he was caught attending a 'private patient' in the department by an employee on April 20. He said that no adult patient could be attended in the pedodontics department. After being caught Dr Julka created ruckus in the department and threatened the complainant employee with dire consequences, Prof Pandey stated in his reply. He has said that Dr Julka has out of vengeance instigated the female resident to lodge a false complaint of harassment against him.
Junior doctors, however, said that they had on April 22 lodged a protest with Prof Pandey against unnecessary harassment of Julka as he was attending the sister of the chief resident and not any 'private patient' as complained by the employee. It is a normal practise among faculty members and junior doctors to attend patients related to friends or relatives or a colleagues, even after duty hours in the hospital, they said adding, thus there was nothing wrong in Julka attending chief resident's sister.
When contacted, Dr Julka said It was an emergency case and irrespective of the fact that she was an adult or a minor in such a situation I provide first aid on priority before referring the patient to a specialist. I had informed the HoD about the patient before her treatment. He said that he has already narrated the truth in writing to the university registrar, the dean and the inquiry officer appointed by Prof Pandey in his case. "I even offered my resignation when the controversy threatened to blow out of proportion," he said adding "I have not been informed whether my resignation has been accepted or not as yet."
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