Resentment is brewing among the doctors of the State Health Services over nonpayment of the proposed compensation to the family of Dr S K Singh, who was killed in broad day light in the Out Patient Department (OPD) of Government hospital Jaspur, Udam Singh Nagar. On April 20, the doctor was murdered by a person who reportedly was infuriated over the doctor after death of his child.
The State Government had declared a compensation of the `50 lakh to the family.
The association of the Government doctors of the State Health Services the Provincial Medical Health Services (PMHS) has alleged that the family of Dr Singh has received only `6 lakhs till date.
After the murder of the doctor, the PMHS had met the State Health Minister and demanded that a compensation of `1 Crore should be paid to the family of the doctor as he was killed while being on the duty.
The State Government however announced that a sum of `50 lakh would be paid to the family of Dr Singh.
The Spokesperson of the PMHS, Dr Anand Shukla told The Pioneer that the instead of the promised amount only a sum of `5 lakh was paid to the grieving family and when the association lodged a complaint a sum of `1 lakh more was paid recently.
He accepted that the doctors of the state health service are angry at the treatment meted out to the family of a senior doctor who was murdered on duty.
Dr Shukla informed that a meeting of PMHS is conveyed which would discuss the issue soon.
The part payment of the proposed compensation amount to the grieving family has agitated the doctors.
One of the doctors said, “The episode shows that the attitude of the Government towards the doctors. The security is almost nonexistent in the Government hospital and now the authorities are dilly dallying on the payment of declared compensation amount. The State Government promptly paid a sum of `50 lakhs to the family of the SDM who was killed in Kedarnath but it is unfortunate that similar standards are not being followed while dealing with the doctors.’’