SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 21: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Jharkhand Health Services Association (JHSA), the frontal organization of government doctors, have opened a front against the deployment of administrators in medical colleges of the state.
IMA and JHSA state presidents and secretaries in a joint statement have demanded the immediate removal of the district administration official deployed as administrator in medical colleges.
Both the bodies have also demanded to re-assign the authority of medical college to the director, principal, superintendent and dean of the institution to discharge the responsibility.
The IMA has been on the boil over the deployment of administrators in medical colleges since February 20, 2023, when Hazaribag Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC) Prerna Dikshit as administrator allegedly assaulted a senior doctor Dr Vishal of SBMCH.
IMA state president Dr AK Singh, vice-president (headquarter) Dr RS Das, secretary Dr Pradip Kumar Singh, JHSA president Dr PP Shah, secretary Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh, in a joint statement, said that the deployment of administrator in medical colleges has not served the propose rather it has become a stumbling block in the duty of doctors.
At present, an administrative officer is deployed at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Hospital (MGMMCH) Jamshedpur, Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) Hazaribagh and Medinirai Medical College Hospital (MMCH) Palamu.
At Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Ranchi, the additional director’s post has been given to the administrative officer. However, at two other medical colleges, Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH) Dhanbad and Phulo Jhano Medical College Hospital (PJMCH) Dumka, there is no administrative officer from the district administration, though the concerned Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the district assesses the problems of the institution from time to time.
In 2020, the state government had assigned the administrative power of all the medical colleges to the concerned Deputy Commissioner (DC) for six months to combat Covid-19. But after six months when the Covid-19 infection became controlled, the administrative officer of the district administration stopped visiting.
However, at three medical colleges, an official of the district administration is still deployed as administrator.
In the wake of the MGMMCH incident, the IMA and the JHSA have placed three points demands- arresting of all accused, withdrawal of administrator from all medical colleges and implementation of the Medical Protection Act.
Meanwhile, all Divisional vice-presidents of the IMA, including Dr Ritesh Ranjan (South Chhotanagpur), Dr AK Lal (Singhbhum), Dr BK Pankaj ( North Chhotanagpur), Dr RN Prasad (Santhal Pargana), Dr Ajay Kumar Singh (Palamu) have geared up to make the proposed state-wide indefinite strike from tomorrow, if the accused of MGMMCH doctor Dr Kamlesh Oraon’s assault case are not arrested.
The Junior Doctors Association (JDA) RIMS has also extended support to the indefinite strike.
