Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader on Wednesday expressed his displeasure over the reluctance of doctors to treat persons with tuberculosis (TB) at the new centre opened on the Government Wenlock Hospital premises.
During a meeting with health officers at the Circuit House on Wednesday, Wenlock Hospital Superintendent H. Rajeshwaridevi said three doctors trained in treating patients diagnosed with tuberculosis, were not happy with some of the facilities at the new centre opened on the hospital premises.
“I cannot accept these arguments. The facility created need to be used. I have to take action to transfer these doctors to other places if they have a problem here,” Mr. Khader warned.
The new building for treatment of Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) Tuberculosis has been constructed using Rs. 10 lakh under the National Rural Health Mission. The centre was ready in August and Mr. Khader had then said he would formally inaugurate it when patients were treated at the centre. This centre was to provide timely specialist treatment to patients for a period of seven to 10 days before they were sent home. Presently such patients were being sent to Mysuru.
The reluctance of doctors to treat patients at the centre came to light on November 20 during the visit of zilla panchayat vice-president Satish Kumpala to the hospital. Mr. Kumpala visited the hospital a day after a 35-year-old woman died following MDR tuberculosis. This woman was admitted to an isolation ward in the hospital.
On Wednesday, Mr. Khader said he wanted patients at the new unit when he came to inaugurate it on December 5. District Health Officer and Tuberculosis Officer Ramakrishna Rao said those suffering from tuberculosis should not be denied of facilities available at the centre.
