Thiruvananthapuram: District Collector Geromic George will not face any action for summoning a government doctor home for treatment last week. The government's assessment is that the doctor and Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA) created the controversy for no reason. The Principal Secretary of the Health Department will soon provide the detailed report requested by the Chief Secretary on the matter. Action against the doctor will be determined based on this report.
The government believes that the collector did not err in inviting the doctor to his residence for the treatment of a fungal infection of nails. The official engagements of the Collector is comparatively more important than the crowd at the outpatient department (OP), the report said. The IAS Association asserts that it is the doctor and the organisation that have made the treatment controversial. The Association emphasized that according to All India Service Rules 3(1), 8(1), and 8(2), All India Civil Service members and their family members may receive treatment at their place of residence. Additionally, the doctor who publicized the treatment of the patient is deemed culpable. The district collector has also informed the chief secretary about this.
Furthermore, taking action against Geromic George, who was recognized as the best collector in the state, would also embarrass the government. Considering all these factors, action against the collector is being avoided. The Election Code of Conduct remains in effect as well.
On the morning of May 4, the collector called the District Medical Officer (DMO) and asked her 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 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 infection on Collector's toenail. Calling it an abuse of power and position, KGMOA had warned of a strike if such incidents repeat.
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.
