MADURAI: A day after a departmental inquiry was initiated against a Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) Female Nursing Assistant (FNA) who allegedly demanded and took bribe, all the FNAs at the hospital were sensitised on the ill-effects of bribery on Tuesday.
On Monday, Thanikodi, a retired staff of GRH who previously worked as an Office Assistant, submitted a complaint to GRH Dean Dr J Sangumani stating that his daughter-in-law K Logambikai delivered her second child -- baby boy -- at the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) block on Friday.
He alleged that an FNA named Karthika, who was posted at the labour ward in the first floor of the block, demanded and took Rs 1,000 as bribe from Logambikai's mother Saratha for allowing her to enter the ward to see the mother and newborn.
During a preliminary inquiry conducted by the dean, the suspected FNA's identity was confirmed by the complainant.
Sources said the nursing assistant, as instructed by the Dean, returned the Rs 1,000 to Logambika the same evening. On Tuesday, Karthika was shifted from CEmONC block to Superspeciality block.
Later, Dr Sangumani initiated an inquiry into the allegation by forming a panel of doctors, including Resident Medical Officer Dr A Srilatha, Assistant Resident Medical Officer Dr P Muruga Porselvi and Dr P Jothi Sundaram of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
On Tuesday, all the GRH nursing assistants were sensitised on the ill-effects of demanding bribe from patients and their relatives. Dr Sangumani warned of stern action against those who demand and accept bribe.
It may be recalled that in August last year, a vigilance committee was reconstituted by the then dean Dr D Maruthupandian, thus revamping the vigilance system that deals with complaints on bribery and corruption by hospital staff and workers.
Following the promotion of one of its committee members -- Dr R Balaji Nathan -- who is now the Dean of Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital in Salem, Dr Sangumani, on Tuesday, made the Head of Department of Cardiology Dr S R Veeramani as the vigilance committee member, replacing Dr Balaji Nathan. Dr Veeramani has been made as the in-charge of issues arising in the CEmONC block.