GUNTUR: Taking exception to his authority being questioned by a medical officer during a review meeting, District Collector I Samuel Anand Kumar on Thursday ordered the police to arrest the doctor, besides suspending him.
Fuming at the doctor, the Collector said, “How dare he to call me who are you,’’ and asked the Sub-Inspector present there to take the doctor into custody and register a case against him under the Disaster Management Act. The issue, however, subsided after the medical officer Somla Naik apologised for his insubordination. “I should not have questioned my superior in such a tone. I apologised to him and he directed the police not to register any case against me and the issue has ended,” he told the media after coming out of Narasaraopet police station.
It all happened during a review meeting held by the Collector at the Town Hall in Narasaraopet. Pointing out that Covid cases are on the rise in rural areas, the Collector asked the doctors to lay emphasis on tracing primary and secondary contacts of positive cases.
When he asked the medical officers of the primary health care centres (PHCs) if they were facing any problems, Nadendla PHC medical officer Somla Naik said there is scarcity of beds in the hospital to treat suspected Covid-19 cases.
Interrupting him midway, the Collector asked how can he say scarcity of beds when 1,300 to 1,400 beds are vacant in Covid-19 hospitals.
Somla Naik stated that he took the issue to the notice of higher authorities four times using the helpline. Not satisfied with his explanation, the Collector directed the DMHO to suspend Somla Naik immediately.
Losing his cool, Somla Naik questioned the Collector -- “Who are you to suspend me?” -- and left the meeting hall.