Rourkela: The ‘fake nurse’ incident that came to light recently at Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) may have opened a ‘can of worm’ for the authorities of this premier government-run healthcare centre. The question on everyone’s mind is how a para-medic staffer can operate in the hospital without really coming to the notice of the authorities for such a long time from 2020 to 2024? It is fortunate that there is no reported incident of loss of life or other severe fallouts despite the presence of a ‘fake nurse’. The main concern now is to find out if this is just an aberration or the proverbial tip of an iceberg. Newly posted medical superintendent Dr Gopal Chandra Das, who unearthed this incident, said, “I am going to cooperate fully with the police and I have support of my official staff. Today, the police had come and conducted the initial round of investigation.” “It is difficult to keep tabs on more than 160 staff nurses.
They have been instructed that all of them must wear their badges and whoever is found violating this instruction will be marked absent. Besides, the hospital manager is on leave and as soon as he joins, his first duty will be to operationalise the bio-metric attendance system which has already been installed but not operating,” Das said. Besides, an internal inquiry will also be conducted to ascertain the facts, he said adding, “I have instructed all the departmental heads to inform about their para-medic strength and keep an eye on anyone who should not be there.” Regarding the frequent complaints about free movement of middlemen in pathology labs, medicine shops and other medical facilities, he said, “Gradually information is tickling in. In addition, I am also keeping an eye on the CCTV more seriously along with my other engagements.” Some of the insiders, who did not want to be named, informed that this could be going on for a long time. “Many a times, one sees a new face and it vanishes after some days,” they said.