Rohit Shishodia
The Odisha health ministry has sent Dr Ashwini Kumar Pujahari, Director of Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VSSIMSR), on leave over allegations of inhumane treatment of patients and harassment of faculty members as well as senior and junior residents.

The allegations were leveled by the resident doctors of the VSSIMSR. The doctors have claimed that allegations were checked by the authorities and it was found that allegations were true. He was, therefore, sent on leave.

The health ministry, in its show cause notice issued on December 7, 2018, to Dr Pujahari, stated, “Your reply on observations and findings of the team should be submitted to the department within three days and if no reply is received within the stipulated period, it will be presumed that you have nothing to say and the matter will be decided as deemed proper and appropriate.”

The notice further stated: “You shall proceed on leave till your reply to the show-cause notice is received and disposed by the government.”

The junior and resident doctors have been on strike for the last 17 days against the director. Dr Jyotirmay Nayak, President, United RDA-Odisha, made shocking revelations against the director Pujahari.

Dr Nayak told DTMT that Dr Pujahari put 500 gram salt in the abdomen of a patient during surgery, claiming that the salt kills cancer cells and he had research papers to prove his claims.

“When the doctors asked him to show the research papers that validate that salt kills cancer cells, Dr Pujahari claimed that he has his own research paper that salt kills cancer. Before surgery, the serum was 136 (normal) but after the surgery, it spiked to 167 the next day and the patient faced difficulty in breathing and subsequently died,” added Dr Nayak.

In another case, Dr Pujahari inserted a candle inside the anus for checking the disease, claiming that he has his own research paper recommending it. The doctors were clueless and helpless over his inhumane activities.

Dr Nayak said that Dr Pujahari also used to interfere with professors during teaching classes and asked irrelevant questions.