AIIMS launches inquiry into complaint of misconduct against senior faculty

The AIIMS has initiated an inquiry into a complaint of alleged misconduct by a senior faculty member towards female nurses when they were conducting a campaign advocating greeting people with 'namaste' in place of handshake to avoid spread of infection.

The AIIMS Nurses' Union held a protest on Monday seeking action against the senior faculty member from the Cardio Thoracic Centre for allegedly using abusive language at three nursing officers on duty on November 18 and tearing posters of their campaign.

"AIIMS Nurses' Union (ANU) highly condemn the abusive behaviour from one of the senior faculty from the CTVS department towards three of our female nursing officers on duty on November 18 near the cafeteria.

"The committee appointed by the ANU observed that the allegations against the doctor were found true and he is not having any authority to intervene directly in the 'Namaste Campaign'," stated a letter written to AIIMS Director.

The AIIMS administration has constituted a committee comprising four faculty members, including Chief of Centre for Dental Education and Research O P Kharbanda, Chief of the Cardio-Thoracic Centre V K Bahl and Chief of Neuro Sciences Centre M V Padma, to inquire into the matter.

According to an ANU member, three women nurses, as part of the campaign, were advocating greeting with namaste in place of handshake to deter spread of infection through hands.

The campaign, organised by the Hospital Infection Control Team of the CTC department of AIIMS, was launched as part of the Save Antibiotics Week.

The aim of the campaign was to make people aware that shaking hands can lead to transfer of infection from one person to another and so people should greet each other with namaste.

The ANU member alleged that the doctor while passing by them questioned the validity of the campaign and also tore campaign posters off the wall.

"We request to take stringent action against the accused and deliver justice to the victims at the earliest to ensure a safe working environment in this grand old institute," the ANU stated in its letter.