The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) of Grant Government Medical College and JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai issued a letter to the Dean Dr Pallavi Saple of the college announcing mass leave from December 18, Monday. The reason behind this is that despite multiple requests, their demand for the removal of the Head of the Department (HoD) for Dermatology, Dr Mahindra Kura, due to alleged mental torture and harassment has not been met.
"JJH MARD supports the resident Doctors of Department of Dermatology on going on a mass leave starting from Monday - 18th December 2023 if their demand is not met," read the letter to the dean.
As per the documents shared with EdexLive, the association initially wrote a letter to the Dean on December 9. As there was no proper progress, the association wrote another letter on December 15, announcing its strike of 'mass leave' by the Department of Dermatology.
Disclosing the details of the dean's response to the first letter, a member of MARD and a resident doctor of the Dermatology department, on the condition of anonymity, told EdexLive, "The dean said that appropriate action will be taken and a committee will be formed to investigate the matter on December 11." Although an internal committee was formed, the investigation hasn't progressed, he claims.
Letter to the Secretary
Disappointed as their demands were not heeded, on December 15, MARD wrote to the Principal Secretary of the Medical Education and Drugs Department, Dr Dinesh Waghmare, regarding mental harassment, patient deaths and various challenges faced by resident doctors of the Department of Dermatology at Grant Govt Medical College. The resident doctor recalls that on December 11, the secretary visited the college and assured the formation of a State Committee to investigate the matter.
"Despite this, the committee hasn't been formed till December 15," the resident doctor stressed. Speaking to EdexLive, the student of the department said, "We cannot work in the same department where there is an egomaniacal HoD and a toxic department hierarchy."
As per the letter, the issues the resident doctors from the Dermatology department have gone through are:
1) Mental torture and harassment at the hands of the HoD
2) Egomaniacal and toxic department hierarchy. HoD's dismal attitude towards patient care whenever patients are admitted by other members of the faculties
3) Utter disregard towards treatment prescribed by fellow specialists of other departments
4) Constant threats issued to residents that they will be marked 'fail' in the MD Final Exam
"CENTRAL MARD urges the administration to take urgent and decisive measures to investigate Dr Kura's alleged activities and immediate removal of the aforementioned Professor from the institute to ensure a safe working environment for the resident doctors and appropriate and deserving clinical treatment to the patients of the Department of Dermatology," the letter to the secretary read.
Plan of action
Disclosing the plan of action, the resident doctor said, "As of now, we will be starting with the mass leave strike from December 18. If our demand of removal of HoD is not met, we are in thoughts of launching a state-wide strike."
"Till the HOD is removed, the mass leave strike will be staged," he added.
