FOUR PROMINENT associations of civil surgeons, health officers and gazetted medical officials strongly condemned the manner in which Hingoli MLA Santosh Bangar allegedly humiliated Maharashtra Director of Health Dr Nitin Ambadekar over a phone call.
An official statement was issued by the association on Friday urging Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Health Minister Tanaji Sawant to warn the MLA against such unwarranted behaviour.
The associations — District Civil Surgeons Association, District Health Officers’ Association, Health Workers Association and Maharashtra Association of Gazetted Medical Officers — in their statement also stated that the publicity of this incident across local TV channels amounted to bringing disrepute to the state public health department.
Office bearers of the associations said that Dr Ambadekar, who was at an important meeting, could not immediately attend the MLA’s phone call. The health director sent a message saying that he would return the MLA’s call. Upon returning the call, the MLA allegedly abused him for not responding to a phone call from an MLA.
Bangar also pulled up Dr Ambadekar over the issue of disparity in salaries for contractual workers of the state helpline 102 services. A video clip shared on social media shows the MLA pulling up Dr Ambadekar over the issue over a phone call.
While Dr Ambadekar was unavailable for comment, office bearers of the associations in their statement said that issues and grievances of contractual level workers have been taken up time and again with authorities but it was unfair to humiliate officials, who were not only managing their departments but also holding additional charge.
“At least 50 per cent of posts continue to remain vacant in the Public Health Department of Maharashtra. The Union government is keenly following the progress made by states over the implementation of various schemes post the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes attending video conference meetings and other duties leading to tremendous strain. Despite all this, Maharashtra has been leading in implementing various health schemes,” the statement added.