Neuro surgery deptt of super specialty hospital without doctors

One on holiday, other on amaranth duty

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 25: You may find it funny and tragic, but it shows the plight of the health system in Jammu and Kashmir.

The neuro surgery department in super specialty hospital Jammu is without doctors as one of them is on holiday while other has been deputed for Amarnath yatra duty.

Due to this hundreds of patients are suffering in absence of doctors while the receptionist and para medical staff in the hospital is unaware about the whole affair. 

Sources said as per the roster the Out Patient Department (OPD) of Neuro-Surgery Department is fixed on every Tuesday in Super Speciality Hospital but due to the unavailability of the concerned doctors patients suffering these days.

Sources further said that the higher officials didn’t even bother to inform the person on reception that there is no doctor available in the hospital these days, so don’t entertain any such patient for neuro surgery department.

This mismanagement and lack of coordination among the official on duty led to harassment of patients as around 35 came and fill up the registration form for the checkup in the said department, as both the receptionist and patients are unaware of the fact that no doctor is available on duty.

“If the higher authorities depute a doctor on special duty of amaranth yatra or the doctor is on vacation the authorities should have arrange some doctor on duty so that patient care should not suffer” said a official.

One of the patient said that Ramesh Singh said in the morning when I came to the hospital for examine but after wait of two hours later I came to know that there is no doctor in the neuro surgery department available on duty.

When contacted incharge principal GMC Jammu Dr Shashi Gupta said the there is some miscommunication between Medical Superintendent of Super Speciality Hospital and the staff as the Medical Superintendent is on leave due to which he was unable to inform the staff about the unavailability of doctor in neuro surgery department.

“The department had interview a doctor and appointed the same for the said department and directed him to join today, but the doctor didn’t reported again” Dr Gupta said.

However, sources claimed that so such interview has been conducted so far.

No doctors to run super specialty hospital, Jammu

Out of 13 doctors, 6 on summer vacation

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 21: Owing the poor response of the advertisement published in local dailies by Public Service Commission (PSC) for around 2000 posts in different position of medical education department including 800 for Super Specialty Hospital, infrastructure worth crores remain unutilized in hospitals of Jammu and Kashmir.

The condition of much hyped Super Specialty hospital is worse as only 13 doctors are present including 2 in cardiology, 4 in cardio thoracic surgery, 3 in urology, 1 in neurology, 2 in neurosurgery and 1 in nephrology in the hospital, among those 6 doctors are on summer vacation, which is not sufficient to run the critical facilities for which the hospital was established.

Incharge Principal Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Jammu Dr Shashi Gupta said that PSC has advertised required number of posts for the said hospitals but the department didn’t get any response.

“Proposal to get doctors for Super Specialty hospital from outside the state is under consideration and pro and cons are being studies”, Dr. Gupta said.

The state government started the newly constructed hospital but without appointment of required number of doctors and other paramedical staff the administration only able to start with Out Patient Department (OPD) for the patients whereas the six indoor super specialties, including cardiology, cardio thoracic surgery, urology, neurology, neurosurgery and nephrology yet to function.

Further sources said another reason behind vacant position in Super Specialty Hospital is that government has failed to sanction required funds for smooth functioning of the hospital.

This 500 bedded hospital has no adequate facilities and infrastructure. The hospital purchased 22 ventilators and 17 have been shifted to GMC.

Sources maintained that for the functioning of the hospital there is a need of Rs 60 crore per year which includes the staff salary and other expenses but the government only sanctioned Rs 2 crore.

It is pertinent to mention here that Super Specialty Hospital was constructed at a cost of Rs 120 crore, which was made partially functional on May 6 after missing six deadlines.

Brother duo manages attachment in ZEO Office since many years

ZEO Manjakote bluntly abusing position, disobeys order of higher ups

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Apr 11: The officials at the helm of affairs in School Education Department are openly flouting the norms of the department with full impunity as there had been no action initiated against the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) Manjakote who has kept blue eyed people attached in his office despite clear cut order of their detachment from higher ups.

The said ZEO was not only disobeying the order of higher authorities but had also misused his position by as his daughter, a ReT Teacher, not attending her duty regularly.

According to sources, ZEO Manjakote Shah Nawaz Khan is not having confirmed appointment but is just handling the position in the capacity of Incharge ZEO for the last three and half year. In his office, there is a person namely Mohd Saber who is attached there since 24 years. And, even Mohd Saber’s brother Mohd Arif is also attached in the same office for the last 13 years. This is despite the fact that there had been number of representations against the brother duo in the office of Director School Education but, no action was initiated against them for years altogether for the reason best known to the Education higher ups.

However, recently, on January 7, the then Director School Education issued an order for detachment of Mohd Saber from the office of ZEO Manjakote and asked him to join at Higher Secondary School Gambhir Mughlan.  But, the ZEO Manjakote didn’t take action even on the order of his Director. So far, more three months have been passed since the order was issued but nothing has been done in follow up to the order by the Director office.

Source alleged that ZEO Manjakote abused his position as his daughter namely Samina Nawaz remained present as ReT teacher while being a regular student of B.Ed at the same time. There are also number of cases filed against the ZEO, sources added.

Sources alleged that the giving the advantages to the undeserving candidates ZEO appoint in lieu of money resulting in lowering down the education system and standard in the zone which is the violation of fundamental right of public.

When contacted, Chief Education Officer, Rajouri Saif Din said many times he directed the ZEO to detach the brother duo, but doing nothing so far.

He however assured to personally look into the matter and do as ordered by the Director School Education as early as possible.

Tawi Lake to be completed by July 2013

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Dec 18: There is some good news for the people of Jammu, 95 per cent work on the artificial lake in river tawi has been completed and officials said that lake is likely to be completed by July 2013.

This was disclosed by the Executive Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Attaf-ullah Naz while talking to TNI adding that some remaining work has to be completed and hopefully the construction work of lake would be completed by next year.

Naz further said that there would be total of 31 gates which are to be installed including 11 in upper portion and 20 in lower portion adding that in case of flood, the gates of the lake would be opened.

The first deadline for the completion of the artificial lake project expired on October 2012, which was extended to March 30, 2013, but it has been further extended to July 2013 as the department failed completes the remaining work on time.

According to official the total of 69.70 crore rupees was approved by the state government on the said project by nearly 50 percent of the total fund has been sanctioned so far.

It is pertinent to mention here that the design of the artificial lake's project over Tawi River was approved by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. A team of experts from Pakistan inspected the project of artificial lake.

To make the Jammu city more attractive for the visitors, while using the barrage water to augment the irrigation facilities in the paddy grown areas of the district.

The reservoir would enable to lift 700 cusecs of water from Tawi to recharge the Ranbir Canal to irrigate 8000 kanals of agriculture land at the tail end villages, still dependent on the rainfalls.

The lake project which was approved by the then Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Jagmohan in 1986, witnessed much delay and it was about three years back that the government initiated the process for its construction. The design approval also took months before it was approved by the Central Water Commission.

Controversial past of GMC Principal, Dr Aniece Choudhary

His negligence in death of child

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Dec 15: Despite allegedly being involved in several cases of Dr Aniece Choudhary still enjoys the position of Principal Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu besides doing his private practice openly.

According to sources there are many complaints against the principal incharge Dr Aniece who allegedly frequently misusing his official position for personal benefits besides openly running his private clinic even after the high court order on doctor private practices.

Sources disclosed that the then HoD Dr Jyoti Prakash Gupta has filed a complained under letter no INT/94/117 dated 06-06-1994, Dr Kulbushan Lal that time was Principal GMC submitted complain under GMC/PA/94-95/219-20 dated 14-02-1995, the then Dr Jagan Singh also submitted the report against Dr Choudhary under letter no. BINT/174/97 dated 07-08-97 and Dr P K Hak filed complaint on 12-03-97 besides the principal GMC, Jammu of that time Dr H L Goswami filed complain GMC/ISTT/GD/PAF/1857 dated 03-03-2005 against Dr Aniece Choudhary, but the administration didn’t take any action against him.

A social activists K K Rao said that instead of holding a responsible position in GMCH Dr Aniece Choudhary is doing private practice and earning money by all means whether right or wrong.

“Adding to this due to the negligence approach of Dr Choudhary a girl child died recently whereas he has been found indulged in un-lawful activities before also but still he had been recommended for this prestigious post by the government” Rao said.

He added that the wrong political system is at the root of all these affairs that has brought such unscrupulous person in front in spite of the fact that he had become notorious for his misdeeds.

Rao further said that there are so many efficient, honest and dedicated doctors who could have been given chance to serve the people rightly and properly and to save the medical college from running in to shambles where there is mis-management everywhere and the common man is a great sufferer.

Despite repeating attempts Minister for Medical Education R S Chib could not be contacted for his version.

SAC toothless against corruption

Corrupt Ministers, bureaucrats continue to loot state

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Dec 05: The Ministers and bureaucrats against whom cases of corruption have been filed are still roaming free in Jammu and Kashmir as they have brought stay against the process initiated against them by anti-corruption body, State Accountability Commission (SAC).

This has totally exposed the claims of the government that state has a vibrant anti-corruption body to take action against high and mighty, involved in galloping crores of rupees.

There is question raised by everybody about has SAC is failed to rein in on corruption in the state?

Showing his helplessness, Chairman SAC, Yash Pal Nargotra told TNI that as in some cases high court has stayed the proceedings, SAC cannot take any action till the stay is revoked. “We cannot do anything till stay order is there”, he said.

Sources said that 15 cases of corruption or misuse of official position has been registered in the State Accountability Commission (SAC) is still pending from the past long time.

According to officials the cases included state politicians in which four sitting ministers in the Omar Abdullah led government besides the name of some former minister of the state are also include in this.

Officials further said that the minister whose case are pending before the ani-corruption commission are Minister for Finance & Ladakh Affairs, Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Minister for  Public Enterprises, Peerzada Mohd. Sayeed and Minister of State Cooperatives, Printing & Stationery and Elections, Manohar Lal Sharma.

Besides this some former state ministers legislators who are also facing charges of corruption included Abdul Gaffar Sofi from Peoples Democratic Party, Hakim Mohammad Yasin from Peoples Democratic Forum and Mangat Ram Sharma, Suman Lata Bhagat, Gulchain Singh Charak and Khem Lata Wakhloo from Congress.

The SAC still failed to take any strict action against the said ministers due to the reason 

best known to them.

The state was ranked as the number 2 corrupt state in India during the Congress-PDP coalition government.

“Making a mockery of tall claims by state government to bring transparency in the functioning of the administration while on one side government claims that every possible efforts is being made to eradicate corrupt elements but inside the administration there are many corrupt ministers and officials working in the state government department” said a source.

Absent from duty

Govt. plans to terminate 46 more doctors in Jammu

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Dec 4: In yet another move against the doctors who are absent from their duty for last many years, Heath Department has sent a new list of 46 doctors for the termination of their services from the department in Jammu province.

Sources said that these doctors have shifted to other states or out of country and are working in private hospitals without informing the department.

It is pertinent to mention here that in last three years about 150 specialist doctors serving in the state hospitals have left their jobs or have been terminated by the government after they joined private health sector within and outside the country.

The massive brain drain was prompted by the greener pastures with high end lifestyle available for the medical professionals outside the state and country.

A highly placed source said that most of the doctors have been terminated   after they remained absent from their services for several years without giving any reason to the department.

Director Health Services, Jammu Dr Madhu Khullar while talking to TNI said that department also sent the list of vacant seats to Public Service Commission (PSC) for recruitment in different hospitals across the Jammu region.

“The department has periodically notified the list of unauthorized absent doctors posted in different health institutions across Jammu province and new list has been submitted to the government” Dr Khullar said.

However a doctor on the condition of anonymity said that the main reason of shifting the doctors to other state or even aboard is lack of infrastructure and salary.

“A new doctor who joins Health Services department gets around Rs. 22,000 per month but same doctors gets more than Rs. 50,000 in a private hospital in other states and this is one temptation for the medical fraternity”, he said.

He added that if a highly qualified doctor posted in state health department he didn’t get require infrastructure in the hospitals as per his qualification, so spoiling his future he opted to go outside in private institutions.

Generally the more salary, allowances, perks, facilities of given by private hospitals, professional atmosphere, research work encourages doctors of J&K to other states and countries.