Panaji: Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday apologised for his behaviour towards a doctor in state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital near here, after several organisations including Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) threatened of a strike.
Rane on Saturday had ordered suspension of Chief medical officer Dr Rudresh Kuttikar from casualty department of GMCH accusing him of misbehaving with the patients.
Several medical unions including Indian Medical Association and Goa Association of Resident Doctors had condemned his behaviour. GARD on Sunday had set up a deadline of 48 hours for the minister to apologise for his conduct.
On Monday, Rane told reporters that he tenders apology to the doctor. “I am apologising to Rudresh Kuttikar that I should not have behaved in that manner,” Rane said.
The minister said “I don’t know what happened. Lot of time sub consciously it is in your mind, people keep complaining about functioning of casualty.”
“People require early intervention when they come to casualty,” he said.
The minister said that the act on his part happened coincidently. “It was not necessary for me to shout. Many times you can take action (without shouting),” he said.
Rane further clarified that he never moved a file to suspend a doctor.
“I did not move the file. The issue has become national one now,” he said.
The minister said that the “whole issue has churned into a different kind of scenario.”
“My stand is clear. I was called earlier angry young man. Now I don’t lose my cool,” he said.
About the incident, he said that he was informed by a senior reporter that his mother-in-law was being not attended by the doctor at casualty, due to which he went to the doctor.
“Somewhere something sparked off something in me,” he said.
On Sunday, chief minister Pramod Sawant had met Rane following which the former had tweeted that no action would be taken against the doctor.
