Employees’ union protests during Azad’s visit to hospital
By IANSFriday, March 5, 2010
KOLKATA - Members of a Congress-Trinamool Congress-led employees’ union staged a protest at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital Saturday and demanded better medical infrastructure at the hospital during the visit of central Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The members of West Bengal Government Employees Federation (Unified) submitted a memorandum to the health minister demanding improvement in healthcare services. They also sought advanced medical equipment and better facilities at the hospital.
The protesters shouted slogans and demanded the resignation of state Health Minister Suryakanta Mishra who was also present on the occasion.
“I have discussed the administrative development and faculty related issues with the hospital authorities today (Saturday) in the meeting. All the issues would definitely be looked into,” Azad told reporters.
He said: “I came to see the progress of the ongoing upgradation work at the hospital.”
“A total of Rs.120 crore will be spent on the project for setting up an OPD (out patient department) and a new administrative building at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital this year.”
Central Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi said: “I personally requested the minister to look into the issue of the college’s infrastructure upgradation. Thus, he (Azad) came to review the progress of work.”
Blaming the state government for slow implementation of the project, Trinamool Congress leader Trivedi said: “The upgradation work is being carried out very slowly. It should be put on fast track.”
Azad, during his day-long visit to the city, also visited Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital in the morning to inaugurate a specialised therapy unit.
