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Blood for money: GMCH sacks 2 staffers

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Oct 4 - Authorities of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) have removed both its contractual staff members caught by police recently on charges of charging money for blood units from the attendant of a patient. Both the accused� Deepak Patowary and Meena Deka � are currently in judicial custody.

Meanwhile, Health department has appealed to the patients and their relatives not to fall prey to any unscrupulous elements who demand money for blood units in an illegal manner.

�In a hospital like GMCH, it is virtually impossible to keep a tab on the behavior of each and every person coming to the hospital and that is why public awareness is a must. There is also provision for those patients who do not have anyone to donate blood to inexchange. They must approach the authorities concerned in such cases,� said Health department sources.

�Black sheep will be there but people must not entertain them as it is neither legal nor safe. Who can forget the Mongoldoi tragedy where four persons were transfused HIV + infected blood from a blood bank in 2013?� said a senior Health department official.

�I am not trying to justify the incident in the GMCH, but here too it was the authorities who reported the case to the police first. Such cases are found everywhere in the country, especially in the government hospitals where poor people are the biggest beneficiaries. There is a huge private hospital lobby that is working against the government hospitals, which should not be encouraged,� said another State Government official.

How many of us in Assam or for that matter India, can afford to have treatment in private hospitals? There is no doubt that much needs to be done to improve the standard of health infrastructure in the State, but ill-intended propaganda should never be encouraged for the greater interest of society, which largely depends on set ups like the GMCH, the official said, adding that steps are being taken to plug the deficiencies so that no one is duped in the name of treatment.

�Strict action will be taken against anyone found flouting the laid down guidelines,� he added.

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