Saturday, September 25, 2010

Medical Staff at Games Venues Dissatisfied with Treatment

Doctors and paramedics are upset with the facilities provided to them at Games venues. With medical staff posted full time at various venues, doctors say they are neither allowed to carry food inside nor are they provided meals. The state health department says they have taken up the matter with OC.

‘‘For security reasons, we have to deposit even our umbrellas at the main entry. For food we have to come outside the venue. We were told that once we are posted full time at the venue, we will be give meals twice a day,’’ said a doctor posted with IG Stadium. The OC has not even made arrangements for tea or coffee. ‘‘There is just one coffee dispenser machine at the stadium, which is only for OC people. Our staff is not allowed to take tea or coffee from the machine. With no arrangements at the venue, we are forced to go to Delhi Secretariat for food. Even for a cup of coffee we have to walk nearly 2km as several entries have been closed due to security reasons,’’ said a senior doctor.

The condition is the same at several competition venues. Doctors at Yamuna Sports Complex are also facing a similar problem. ‘‘Initially, we were not allowed to take food inside. As the OC people are not giving us meals, we requested the security agency at the venue to allow us to bring food. Now after thorough checking we can take food inside,’’ said a doctor posted with Yamuna Sports Complex.

Admitting there was a problem, Dr A K Aggarwal, in charge of the medical workforce for the Games, said, ‘‘The issue was brought to my notice during the test events. Our doctors and paramedical staff were not given food. We have informed the director health services about it.’’ Doctors posted at various venues say they have been told that food will be available from September 26.

Doctors are unhappy with the treatment given to them at the venues. ‘‘First, we were ordered to report for Commonwealth Games duty but were made to sign volunteer form. The government is not giving us TA/DA for this duty. Now, to top it all we are not even given food. We spend eight to nine hours at the venues. We should at least have facility for tea or coffee. How can you make a person work in these conditions?’’ said a doctor posted at one of the Games venues.

According to a senior health official, ‘‘We were told that OC would be providing two meals to the entire medical workforce. Had they told us we would have made arrangements for food for our staff. We have taken up the matter with OC.’’

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