Kozhikode: Senior nursing officer P B Anitha rejoined Kozhikode Government Medical College (MCH) on Sunday as her sit-in protest in front of the hospital over the job denial forced the governemnt to issue an order.
The nurse, who was transferred to Idukki for allegedly supporting the survivor in the ICU sexual assault case, started the stir after the medical college authority refused to reinstate her despite a High Court order.
However, Anitha declared that she would not withdraw her contempt of court petition against the state government despite being reinstated in the hospital. She took the decision after the government moved a review petition against the High Court order that directed the health department to reinstate her in Kozhikode MCH.
Talking to Manorama News, Anitha argued that the government should have reinstated her soon after the HC issued the order. The health department issued an order to reinstate Anitha at Kozhikode Govt. Medical College on Saturday as Congress and BJP extended solidarity with her protest. However, the government order pointed out that the appointment would be subject to the High Court's verdict in its review petition.
“ I respect the government's stance. I hope the court's judgement on the government's review petition will favour my appointment. I got six more years in service. I need to fight all the challenges till my retirement,” Anitha told media at the medical college.
Anitha faced action from the health department for allegedly supporting the victim in the ICU sexual assault case. Anitha who was transferred to Idukki had approached the high court against the transfer. On March 1, a High Court Bench of Justices A Muhamed Mustaque and Shoba Annamma Eappen ordered the government to reinstate Anitha. As per the court order, the medical college should have appointed Anitha on April 1. But though she reached the hospital, the authority refused to reinstate her citing a shortage of vacancies. The Director of Medical Education (DME) informed Dr Sujith Sreenivasan, the principal-in-charge, that the DME could not issue an order for the purpose as the state government should issue an order.
The incident related to the case took place on March 18, 2023. A young woman who was in a semiconscious condition in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Kozhikode Medical College after a surgery was sexually abused by a male attender at the hospital. Six other hospital employees – all women – later approached the survivor and threatened her to withdraw the complaint. Anitha reported the action of the six employees to the college authorities and all of them were suspended from service. However, the government later transferred Anitha, the chief nursing officer and nursing superintendent from Kozhikode as a punishment for reiterating their statements before a special inquiry commission and the police.
