A woman house staff in the gynaecology department at the Sarat Chandra Chattapadhyay Government Medical College Hospital (SCCGMCH) in Uluberia, in an unheard-before act, engaged an outsider for proxy duty on behalf of her in the OPD of the hospital triggering serious controversy.

Considering the seriousness of the matter, the SCCGMCH authorities formed a three-member inquiry committee headed by Prof (Dr) Sritanu Bhattacharya, head of gynaecology and obstetrics (G&O) department of the teaching hospital, to probe the incident.

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Sources in the hospital said that the house-staff in order to skip her scheduled duty in the OPD clinic had engaged the male outsider reportedly for two days to attend to hundreds of women patients. It’s not yet confirmed whether the outsider was a medical professional or not.

OPDs in government hospitals across the state open at 9 am and continue till 4 pm. The G&O OPD in the ground floor at the SCCGMCH building remains crowded because of high footfall of pregnant women belonging to mainly poor and middle classes.

Hospital employees and security personnel, who are given duty at the G&O OPD at the hospital regularly, first noticed the outsider attending patients there around 10.30 am, one and a half hours after the scheduled start when the visiting teaching doctor is supposed to join duty.

“The incident happened last week. We raised alarm after seeing an unknown man attending female patients particularly at the backdrop against when the agitating junior doctors across the state have been demanding overhauling of safety and security system in government medical colleges and hospitals since the R G Kar Hospital incident,” a senior staff of the SCCGMCH said requesting anonymity.

“The outsider sensing trouble fled the spot within minutes. How can a house staff of our hospital do such an act?” he said, raising questions.

“I have informed the matter to our college principal Prof (Dr) Sanat Ghosh requesting his intervention.

It’s a minor issue and doesn’t make it big,” Dr Bhattacharya told The Statesman.

The college authorities have taken up the matter seriously and sought clarifications from the errant house staff immediately.

“She has already appeared before the inquiry committee comprising Dr Bhattacharya, medical superintendent cum vice-principal (MSVP) and dean of students. We will decide the future course of action after verifying her clarifications seriously,” an administrative officer of the teaching hospital said on Thursday pleading anonymity.