Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA) on Thursday accused District Collector Geromic George of abusing his position to avail treatment at home.
As per reports, the collector summoned a government doctor who was on duty to his residence to avail treatment for a fungal infection of the nail. The doctor, who works at the General Hospital, reached the colletor's home and treated him for the disease.
Calling it an abuse of power and position, KGMOA has warned of a strike if such incidents repeat.
On the morning of May 4, the collector called the District Medical Officer (DMO) and asked him to send a doctor to his house. The DMO did not heed his request at first. However, the collector allegedly called a second time and directed the DMO in an authoritative tone to send a doctor, following which the DMO contacted the superintendent of the General Hospital and instructed the same.
A doctor from the general surgery department had to leave his OP duties midway and go to the collector's residence, where he was made to wait another 30 minutes before tending to the collector's infection on the toenail.
As per reports, this is not the first time Geromic George has summoned doctors to his house. There was a similar complaint where he called for a doctor from the Peroorkada hospital three months ago. When district collectors are given preference in all hospitals, including medical colleges, there is strong dissent against doctors being treated like domestic workers by civil servants. Geromic George is yet to respond on the issue.