Srinagar: The ‘tip (Chai) culture’ prevalent in Valleys biggest Lal Ded Maternity Hospital sparked massive protest on Friday while protestors not only blamed nursing staff and maids for looting attendants whenever a female patient attains motherhood but they also alleged that private security guards deployed on gates also demand bribe from them for making an entry into the hospital.
Hospital sources told CNS that scores of attendants assembled outside Lal Ded hospital and amid slogans staged a massive protest against hospital administration for failing to curb the menace of corruption in the hospital. The protestors said that the hospital has become the hub of corruption and on the name of ‘tip’ maids and nursing staff are looting the poor attendants and patients who arrive in the hospital from far flung areas.
This hospital is in complete mess and has become a junkyard and hub of malpractices. The maids and nurses attending patients hold your collar if you refuse to pay them bribe. They dare to yell at you in front of senior doctors in case you fail to grease their palms,” one of the protestors Muhammad Yousuf told CNS.
The protestors said that Hospital administration is well aware of this fact but they don’t take any action or initiative to stop this menace. “For every newborn baby, you have to pay Rs 500 as tip. CCTV cameras show everything and the higher ups in the hospital watch everything but act as mute spectators,” another protestor said adding that private security present on gate too demand bribe from the attendants and it is happening under the nose of hospital administration.
When contacted, Medical Superintendent Lal Ded Hospital, Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Rather told CNS the attendants must approach him immediately if anyone demands bribe from them so that he can stern action against the guilty. (CNS)