PG medicos strike to continue

PG medicos strike to continue

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:03.12.2021

Outpatient services at medical college hospitals in Tamil Nadu were largely unaffected on day two of the protests by resident doctors against delay in NEET postgraduate counselling.

Assistant professors, MBBS doctors (recruited on contract basis) and interns were deployed to take care of the outpatient department and wards in in hospitals of the city.

Given that there was no response from the Union government regarding NEET PG counselling dates, the protesting doctors in the state have announced that they will be boycotting elective surgeries at operation theatres in addition to outpatient and ward services on Friday.

“We ensured that emergency services are intact. Enough doctors will be available at TN Accident and Emergency Care Initiative (TAEI) wards, surgical Intensive Care Units (ICUs), toxicology wards, Intermediate Care Units (IMCUs) and Intermediate Respiratory Care Units (IRCUs),” said R Vignesh from Tamil Nadu Resident Doctors Association (TNRDA).

MBBS student alleges gang-rape in Alwar; 1 held, other on the run

MBBS student alleges gang-rape in Alwar; 1 held, other on the run

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Alwar:02.12.2021

The Alwar police on Wednesday arrested a 22-yearold youth after a 20-year-old MBBS student alleged that she was gang-raped on Tuesday evening.

Police have identified the main accused as one Ravi Choudhary, while the second accused, Ravindra Choudhary, is currently on the run. Police are also investigating the involvement of the girl’s batchmate in the case.

The Alwar police claimed that the entire incident took place when the girl’s batchmate invited her to the wedding of his sister in Alwar. The batchmate sent his friends Ravi and Ravindra in a car to bring her to the city for the function.

Instead of taking her to the wedding venue, Ravi allegedly took the girl to a hotel where he raped her while Ravindra stood guard outside the room.

The girl sought help and went to a nearby police station on Tuesday evening where she narrated her ordeal.

Probe against friend who sent invitation

Alwar: The girl sought help and went to a nearby police station on Tuesday evening where she narrated her ordeal. Police recorded her statements on Wednesday, following which they arrested prime accused Ravi Choudhary.

The case is being investigated by additional SP Rameshwar Choudhary.

A medical examination was held on Wednesday.

While Ravi Choudhary has been identified as the main accused in the case, investigation is also underway against the girl’s batchmate who invited her to the wedding.

Both Ravindra and the girl’s batchmate have been booked for aiding the crime. The preliminary investigation indicated that the girl and her batchmate, both hailing from the same city, were studying MBBS at a foreign university.

Jr docs threaten to boycott all services from Dec 4

Jr docs threaten to boycott all services from Dec 4

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad:02.12.2021

Junior doctors at the state-run Gandhi Hospital and Osmania General Hospital (OGH) boycotted outpatient (OP) services on Wednesday over repeated delay in NEET counselling by the Centre. The OP boycott would continue for two more days and the Telangana Junior Doctors’ Association (TJUDA) has threatened to extend it to all services from December 4 if the Centre failed to act.

On Wednesday, the patients were only partially affected, but if junior doctors go ahead with their threat then things would become difficult for patients from December 4. “The impact of boycott on Wednesday was not felt sharply as patient footfall has been less for last two days. It might be due to the news of the new variant of Covid-19. Instead of 5 doctors manning a department, today 2-3 were present. It only caused a delay of 30-40 minutes,” said a source at Gandhi Hospital.

“While we only boycotted OP services today, if no measures are taken by government to speed up the process, we’ll escalate the protest after meeting with all other RDAs. Currently, other staff were able to handle most departments, but if we extend it to all services then it’ll be difficult to manage,” said TJUDA president Dr Sagar Dharmula.

Junior doctors protest at Gandhi Hospital

On holiday plans, domestic flyers wait and watch for now

On holiday plans, domestic flyers wait and watch for now

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai:02.12.2021

Demand for domestic travel had peaked in the past two months during the festive season and the year was supposed to end with a bang, what with travellers making advance bookings for the year-end holiday. But the Maharashtra government directive that made RT-PCR reports mandatory for all inter-state arrivals has left many year-end travel plans in a limbo, say travel industry insiders.

“The major concern is about spending January 1 queueing up at Goa’s testing centres and hospitals to undergo an RT-PCR test. The next day is a Sunday, most testing places in Goa would be closed. Most passengers are booked to return to Mumbai on Sunday evening and Monday morning,” said a travel agent. He added that passengers booked on the domestic sector have adopted a wait-and-watch policy. “We’re expecting some air ticket cancellations in the coming weeks, but people might not entirely abandon their year-end plans. We expect inter-state road travel to pick up. The past two peaks have shown that RT-PCR reports aren’t checked diligently on roads,” he added.

Currently, the cheapest return ticket for year-end travel on non-stop flights between Mumbai and Goa — the most popular year-end route — starts at Rs 11,000. Prashant Pitti, co-foundrf EaseMyTrip, said they had witnessed more than 400% jump in advance air ticket bookings for Decmber. “About 65-75% of travellers have opted for the full-refund booking options since the second wave, and with the new variant, this number is expected to grow in the coming weeks,” he added.

The major concern is about spending January 1 queueing up at Goa’s testing centres and hospitals to undergo an RT-PCR test. The next day is a Sunday, most testing places in Goa would be closed

SC: Doctors can’t be always blamed for negligence in deaths

AmitAnand.Choudhary@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:02.12.2021

The Supreme Court has said that a hospital cannot be held liable for negligence if operation of a patient is delayed because of nonavailability of operation theatres and ruled that doctors also cannot be always blamed if a patient did not favourably respond to treatment or a surgery failed.

Setting aside the order National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission which held Bombay Hospital & Medical Research Centre and its doctors liable for medical negligence for death of a patient, a bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and V Ramasubramanian said that the fault cannot always be fastened on the doctors and hospital if a patient did not survive. It said that delay in conducting some medical test due to fault in machine can also not be said to be negligence on the part of the doctor or the hospital, saying “Any machine can become non-functional because of innumerable factors beyond the human control as the machines involve various mechanical, electrical and electronic components”

“No fault can be attached to the hospital if the operation theatres were occupied when the patient was taken for surgery. Operation theatres cannot be presumed to be available at all times. Therefore, non-availability of an emergency operation theatre during the period when surgeries were being performed on other patients is not a valid ground to hold the Hospital negligent in any manner,” the bench said...

Exam controller held for role in rigging TET

Exam controller held for role in rigging TET

‘Gave Contract To Firm That Had No Infra’

Pathikrit Chakraborty@timesgroup.com

Lucknow:02.12.2021

The exam regulatory authority (ERA) secretary, Sanjay Kumar Upadhyay, who was on Tuesday suspended for his role in the UPTET question paper leak, was arrested in Lucknow after a protracted interrogation that stretched well past midnight. The UP special task force (UPSTF) formally arrested him at 3am on Wednesday and sent him to prison by noon.

A 1995 batch Provincial Civil Services (PCS) officer, Upadhyay’s complicity in the paper leak was exposed during questioning of the director of RSM Finserv Ltd, the Delhi-based firm contracted to print Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) question papers. The director, Rai Anup Prasad, who was arrested in Noida late Tuesday, had told interrogators that Upadhyay was instrumental in handing over the contract to his company on October 26.

Confirming Upadhyay’s arrest, additional director general of police, law and order, Prashant Kumar told TOI that no accused would be spared and the gang’s network would be dismantled.

Senior superintendent of police, STF, Hemraj Meena said, “RSM Finserv Ltd based in Delhi’s Greater Kailash-II neither had infrastructure nor resources to print question papers on such a large scale. And the firm’s laxity led to a comprise in secrecy protocols enabling infiltration by the solver’s mafia. The government has instituted an inquiry against Upadhyay, who handed out work order without checking the Delhi fir m’s antecedents.”

On November 28, Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET) was cancelled after a question paper was leaked on social media, triggering arrests of 37 accused till late Wednesday. At least 20lakh lakh students were scheduled to write the exam at 2,736 centres in two shifts.

Another TET conduit arrested in Aligarh

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow:02.12.2021

Continuing its crackdown on those who rigged UPTET exams, UP special task force (UPSTF) on Wednesday arrested another accused, Gaurav Kumar, from Aligarh. Gaurav, who was picked from the city’s Malroz intersection, had bought question papers from the solver’s syndicate just hours before the exam and circulated them among TET aspirants for Rs 2 lakh each.

Senior superintendent of police, STF, Hemraj Meena, said, during interrogation Gaurav claimed to have bought the question papers from two other conduits, Nirdosh Singh and Vishnu for Rs 5 lakh. “He passed it on to his friends, Dharmendra Malik, Ravi Pawar, Manish Malik and Ajay for distribution in Mathura for big kickbacks. Gaurav got hold of the leaked papers just before the exam and sold them for Rs 2lakh,” said Meena.

Gaurav confessed he met Nirdosh through his brother, Updesh, who was his batchmate in AMU during 2011-12. “Updesh had told him that any online and offline examination could be easily cracked with Nirdosh’s expertise,” Gaurav told police. STF sources said Gaurav’s other aides will be tracked down and arrested soon.

IIT-BHU student bags ₹2cr package from US company in placement

IIT-BHU student bags ₹2cr package from US company in placement

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Varanasi:02.12.2021

On the first day of campus placement, a student of IIT (BHU) was offered a maximum package of Rs 2.05 crores ($274,250) by a United States company. According to the IIT (BHU) spokesperson, the campus placement started on Tuesday midnight at the IIT (BHU). Till the end of the first phase, 55 companies had given 232 offer letters to students having an average package of Rs 32.89 lakh per annum and a minimum of Rs 12 lakh.

The total number of registered students is 1,243. “Last year by this time we had 91 companies offering 324 jobs. Earlier, 66 companies had offered pre-placement to a total of 241 students of B Tech IIIrd year and IDD IVth year during their internship,” he said.

The campus selection process is being done in Aryabhatta Hostel of the institute.