SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, March 11: The deployment of a junior doctor as the in-charge of Tundi Community Health Centre (CHC) over senior medical officers has triggered controversy in the Dhanbad health department.
Civil surgeon (CS) Dr Shyam Kishore Kant has deployed Dr Shrawan Kumar as the Tundi CHC in-charge replacing Dr Nilam Kumari in the name of streamlining the health services in Naxal-influenced region. But Dr Nilam has refused to hand over the charge to Dr Shrawan Kumar.
A district health department official source said that Dr Shrawan Kumar is a 2020 batch medical officer while Dr Nilam Kumari, who is the senior-most medical officer, is a 2012 batch doctor. So she has refused to work under a junior.
Moreover, a senior doctor of the district health department said that Dr Shrawan Kumar is on probation and has no disbursing power to head a health centre.
However, civil surgeon Dr Shyam Kishore Kant has justified the deployment saying that Dr Nilam Kumari was not performing the duties properly.
“Having seen her poor performance, Dr Shrawan Kumar has been made in-charge,” said the CS.
Senior medical officers of the district health department have protested the appointment of a junior over a senior and claimed that it is a violation of the state health department’s notification.
“In 2013, the then principal secretary health K Vidyasagar issued a notification (dated 7-9-2013) that no junior medical officer would be made the in-charge over a senior. The notification also said that if it is needed in the interest of health services, the CS would take prior approval from the health department before doing so. But CS has violated the notification,” said a senior medical officer.
Meanwhile, junior doctors have also been made in-charge in Jharia and Dhanbad Sadar CHCs also. Dr Sarvjeet Singh (2012 batch) of Baliapur CHC in-charge has been made in-charge of Sadar CHC. Two doctors Dr Alok Viswakarma (1990 batch medical officer) and Dr Jitendra Chourasia (1990 batch) are senior to him. Dr Viswakarma is reportedly on deputation in Dhanbad jail while ENT specialist Dr Chourasia is on deputation at Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH).
“This is not the first time senior medical officers have been humiliated and demoted in the district. In 2020, the then deputy commissioner Umashankar Singh in the name of Corona management made several junior in-charge of senior. Even a doctor on a contract was made the nodal officer of Sadar hospital, sending several senior medical officers at bay,” a senior doctor said.
