Pune: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Tuesday took out a rally protesting against the Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU) health centre for its consistent irregularity and irresponsibility of the head doctor in treating students or other patients. The rally began from the Aniket Canteen to the Vice-Chancellor’s (VC) office on the SPPU campus.

The members claimed that there have been several cases in the past, wherein patients have died due to lack of proper first aid treatment at the centre.

They have quoted several allegations of irregularity against the head of the health centre, Shashikant Dudhgaonkar.

“The head doctor at the health centre is not proficient in his profession. Whoever goes to him with any health issue, he prescribes only one medicine, paracetamol. The centre is said to be open 24x7 but we never find the doctor or nurses at the centre in the wee hours. Hence, the guard gives paracetamol tablets to students for instant relief,” said Ram Satpute, State President of ABVP.

“Recently, a patient died of heart attack due to the doctor’s negligence. Also, there is no ambulance available on the campus,” said Satpute. Another member of ABVP Sagar Kale said, “The nurses arrive at the centre at 2 pm while the timings for students to visit the centre for a checkup is till 12.30 pm only. Also, according to the university rules, a specialist must visit the centre frequently, for which they get funds. But till date, no specialist doctor has come to the centre,” said Kale.

Kale said students have free-check ups at the health centre but often Dudhgaonkar prescribes them medicines, which are to be bought from medical stores outside the campus. He claimed the doctor is doing this for monetary interests.

The members have been demanding immediate removal of Dudhgaonkar.