Private hospitals in Erode suspend OP services for a day in protest against Health Department’s action over oocyte sale

Erode branch of Indian Medical Association has called for a strike against the urgency shown to close Sudha Hospitals

Outpatient services in 250 private hospitals across the district were suspended on Saturday in response to the Erode branch of Indian Medical Association’s call for a strike against the Health Department’s urgency to close Sudha Hospitals in a case related to illegal oocyte sale.

The Health Department ordered closure of scan centres in four hospitals in Erode, Perundurai, Salem and Hosur after inquiry pointed out that the hospitals had violated rules in receiving oocytes from a minor girl. On July 15, a team led by R. Premakumari, Joint Director of Health Services, Erode district, sealed the scan centre at the hospital. However, the hospital management moved the Madras High Court that quashed the department’s order after which the seal was removed.

The State government filed an appeal before the bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy against the order and the judges, on Friday, quashed the order issued to remove the seal.

A team led by Ms. Premakumari went to the hospital on Friday evening and asked the administration to close the hospital within two hours. But the staff said that 95 patients were undergoing treatment and sought time. Over 100 staff staged a protest on the hospital premises for over four hours. She told the media that the hospital was given time till Sunday for shifting or discharging the patients.

C.N. Raja, national vice-president, IMA headquarters, condemned the Health Department’s move to close the hospital in a hurry. “When the single-judge ordered the removal of the seal, officials took five days to remove it. But after the court passed the order on Friday, based on oral instructions, they rushed to close the hospital,” he said and added that the move has created fear among the public.

People who turned up at the hospitals were disappointed as they were asked to come on Sunday or Monday to meet the doctors.