Delhi hospital official apologises over controversial ‘no Malayalam’ circular, says intention was not to hurt any language

• Shubham
• 09 June, 2021

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By: Shubham Ghosh

Shubham Ghosh

THE Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (GIPMER) recently came under heavy criticism over a circular asking its nursing staff members not to speak in Malayalam on duty but in Hindi and English. The order led to a massive controversy with top politicians, nurses’ associations and social media condemning it and seeking action. On Wednesday (9), the nursing superintendent of the hospital apologised over the circular saying he had “no intention to disrespect any Indian language, region, or religion”. The official said “If any staff’s feeling got hurt, I apologise”.

It was only a day after the controversial circular was issued that it was withdrawn with immediate effect and it was said that the act was committed “without any instruction or knowledge of the hospital administration and the Delhi government”. The nursing superintendent wrote to the hospital’s medical director saying the circular was issued in “a positive sense and there was no bad intention against Malayalam-speaking staff”.

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‘Patients, other staff found it inconvenient’
The superintendent said he had acted on the basis of complaints received on May 31, June 1 and 2 and they said since most of the staff members communicate in their regional language, their colleagues and attendants of the patients felt inconvenient. He said the complainant clearly mentioned that the language was Malayalam and a solution was sought.

He also added that patients and attendants had complained earlier too about some staff members speaking in their regional languages and the patients assumed that they were suffering from serious health issues and the staff deliberately spoke in their own language to hide it from them. According to the nursing superintendent, the circular was issued to “avoid any confusion due to language barrier”.

On Monday (7), the Delhi Health Department issued a memo to GIPMER in connection with the circular and a source said the health department had asked the hospital to “explain why such an order was issued”.