The Madhya Pradesh government on Friday effected a major reshuffle at the upper echelons of the medical education department soon after chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan conducted a “surprise inspection” at Hamidia Hospital, the teaching facility of the Gandhi Medical College (GMC), Bhopal.
Additional chief secretary (medical education) Prabhanshu Kamal and dean of the GMC Dr Ulka Shrivastava are among those shunted, according to a government communiqué. Department sources, however, said even director of medical education GS Patel has been shifted.
Patel, however, told HT he was not aware of his transfer.
The government appointed Manish Rastogi as commissioner (medical education). This is the first time Madhya Pradesh will have a commissioner in the department.
PS health given interim charge of ACS medical education
Principal secretary health and family welfare Gauri Singh has been given the interim charge of ACS Medical Education.
Sources said chief minister was so upset on seeing the mismanagement at the hospital that barely an hour after he left the institution the transfer orders were issued.
The hospital hit the headlines a couple of days ago when media highlighted an incident of rodents gnawing on the body of an old woman. The dead was identified as Gulab Bai (60), who used to stay under a shed erected by an NGO Share and Care. After the media reports, the NGO was asked to vacate the hospital premises.
Union minister of state for health and family welfare Faggan Singh Kulaste had downplayed the incident saying in Mandla on Thursday, “It’s a crime to kill rats and no one has control over rodents.”
Chouhan inspected the emergency unit, outpatient department (OPD), ICU ward and medical store. He also asked patients if they got free medicines on regular basis.
Tender of agency appointed for cleaning hospital premises cancelled
Chouhan also cancelled the tender of the agency appointed for cleaning the hospital premises after seeing the “dirt and mess” there.
He directed divisional commissioner and collector Bhopal to study the problems afflicting the Hamidia hospital and prepare a report.
“The chief minister stressed on the need to bring about massive changes in the administrative mechanism of the hospital to provide better treatment to the patients,” said a government press release.
Sources said chief minister was already upset with the ACS and the DME for the “chaotic situation” and alleged mismanagement during the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) counselling held at the GMC for admission to MBBS and dental courses recently.
[sOURCE:-HT]
