Kolkata:
The director of West Bengal's top government-run post graduate medical college and hospital, SSKM, has applied for voluntary retirement after being summarily transferred from the post.
Dr Pradip Mitra says he has been humiliated and insulted. He doesn't know for what, but does not rule out the possibility of being punished for stopping the dialysis of a dog at the premier hospital on June 10.
The dog was allegedly sent for treatment at the hospital by Trinamool Congress leader Dr Nirmal Majhi, who heads the state medical council. There is no facility for veterinary dialysis in Kolkata.
When the matter was first reported, Trinamool's Nirmal Majhi was quoted saying, "It was a cute dog. It was suffering. So why not treat it?" But on Wednesday, when contacted over phone, Dr Majhi said, "I have nothing to do with any dog. The report is planted to defame me."
The dog was almost admitted, on the orders of the head of the nephrology department, Dr Rajen Pandey who was out of town on that day but apparently telephoned orders to his juniors to conduct the procedure.
Dr Pandey also texted Dr Mitra that "VIP dog dialysis required. Vet of govt hospital has approached me."
"Soon after, I was contacted by a senior nephrologist, Dr Aprita Roy Chowdury, who said a 'dog dialysis' is going to be held at the hospital. I was surprised," said Dr Mitra. "Immediately, I ordered that it should be stopped. I asked who ordered it, and was told that the head of the department ordered some persons and it has been registered in the log book."
Hospital sources confirm that the dialysis unit's log book has an entry, number 13, for "unknown dog" on June 10.
Thirteen days later, on June 23, Dr Mitra was summarily transferred, given his release papers and replaced.
Health officials insist it is a routine transfer. But Dr Mitra, who has been in the state health service for 33 years, says such summary transfer is highly unusual.
"This happens only if there is some mischief and complaint against a person. In such cases it is done. It is not routine, even though they are saying it is a routine transfer. This has not been done before," he said. Mr Mitra had served as the director of SSKM for over seven years.
Dr Mitra asked the government to probe the "dog dialysis" incident. But it is yet to be done.
Now posted to a fledgling medical college, he has applied for voluntary retirement. Asked why he didn't appeal to the Chief Minister, he said, his transfer could not have happened without her consent. Mamata Banerjee also holds the health portfolio.