Jamshedpur, Nov. 16: State health minister Hemendra Pratap Sahi today visited the malaria affected Urmal panchayat in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district to get first-hand information on the works done by the department.

During the stay of over an hour at Urmal and interaction with family members of malaria patients, the minister expressed satisfaction over the work done by the department in spreading awareness and treatment of those who are already suffering from the disease.

Sahi, however, was very angry by the complaint of villagers against alleged prolonged absence of one of the doctors B.C. Bhakat posted at Tirildih Health Centre.

He instructed the district civil surgeon Shiv Shankar Birua to conduct an inquiry into the matter and send him a report at the earliest.

“I will not tolerate negligence by officials of the department. If I get this type of complaint in future, the doctor will be immediately suspended,” warned Sahi.

Later, at a meeting with the civil surgeon, the minister asked Birua to involve the villagers in fighting the disease that is almost on the verge of becoming an epidemic.

“Keeping in mind the shortage of man power, the minister asked to use villagers of Urmal panchayat in spreading awareness. A training programme for this will be organised in the next week,” said Birua.

At the same time, the doctors posted at Urmal camp were asked to stop the method of selected treatment of patients and adopt mass radical treatment.

Meanwhile, sources in the health department said that the minister has directed an inquiry into the absence of the five doctors at a referral hospital.

“During the minister’s inspection at the referral hospital in Bundu block of Ranchi, five doctors — S.P. Gupta, S.K. Kachap, S.K. Sinha, Madhusudan Kumar and Suparna — were found absent. The minister has asked the civil surgeon of Ranchi to initiate an inquiry and suspend the five doctors,” said a source.

The health minister claimed he has vowed to improve the state’s health scenario. Sahi, father of Bhanu Pratap Sahi, was inducted as the 12th and last minister in the Madhu Koda government last week.