SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Jan 18: The district health department is fixed on what to do as the office of the National Health Mission (NHM) director and the office of the Governor have sent separate orders for the deputation of a medical officer at two different places.
The additional secretary of state government Prabhunath Sharma on the order of the Governor has issued a notification assigning Dhanbad reproductive child healthcare (RCH) officer Dr Sanjiv Kumar additional charge of Sadar hospital deputy superintendent.
The health department’s official sources said that notification of the Governor’s order had reached on January 16.
Earlier on January 8, the National Health Mission (NHM) managing director (MD) Bhubanesh Prasad Singh had issued a letter transferring Dr Sanjiv Kumar to Baghmara Community Health Centre (CHC) from the RCH office.
Sources said before the district health department had implemented the order of the NHM director regarding the transfer of Dr Sanjiv Kumar.
The notification on the order of the Governor issued by additional secretary of state government Prabhunath Sharma reached here for giving charge to Dr Sanjiv Kumar as deputy superintendent of Sadar hospital.
Two separate letters for the deputation of a single medical officer at different places have caught district health department officials in a catch-22 situation. They can’t ignore the letter of the NHM director same time they also can’t overlook the notification of the Governor’s order.
Civil surgeon Dr Alok Viswakarma could not be available for comment on the letters despite repeated attempts due to a busy schedule of official meetings. However, RCH officer Dr Sanjiv Kumar said that he has yet to get a letter from the civil surgeon’s office regarding taking additional assignments.
The post of Dhanbad Sadar hospital has become an apple of discord for health department officials.
In November 2022 Dr Sanjiv Kumar was given additional charge of deputy superintendent of Sadar hospital by civil surgeon Dr Alok Vishwakarma for streamlining the health services in wake of rising numbers of patients. But he resigned within a month after a row with hospital nodal officer Dr Rajkumar Singh and agitation of some selected doctors as well as health employees.
Dhanbad Sadar hospital reopened in 2019 following a High Court order after 36 years. The Sadar hospital had been merged with the then Patliputra Medical College Hospital by Bihar government to save the medical college from MCI de-recognition.
