Udupi : State Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader paid a surprise visit to the district government hospital at Ajjarkad on Friday January 15.

Local MLA Pramod Madhwaraj, city municipal council president P Yuvaraj and other local leaders accompanied the minister.

The minister find various irregularities in attendance and maintanence and he was surprised not to find the district surgeon or any doctor in the premises.

Khader visited patients ward and he also interacted their family members who were at the hospital.

U T Khader took Dr Mahendra to task for his and others doctors’ absence and irregularities at the hospital. and also took note of the fact the surgeon not wearing the white coat.

Members of the public had many grievances to pour out before the minister. Many even said that patients who come to the hospital were sent to private hospitals or Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru.

The minister directed to the District surgeon and doctors to hold meeting in a month with the local MLA and other people concerned. He promised them that shortage of medicine if any would be addressed. He also said four months back that the hospital experienced shortage of staff, new appointments were made to fill the vacancies. Presently the hospital has 18 doctors and 49 nurses.

MLA Pramod Madhwaraj said “If any more complaints come, I will ask the minister to suspend the district surgeon.I cannot see a hospital being mismanaged in my own constituency.

District health officer Dr Rohini was present.