Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Jan 1: It may sound incredible but is true that in the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu, which has the strength of around 900 doctors only , more than 2000 transfers were affected in the last one and half year.
While some doctors were transferred twice and thrice, a few others were shifted even four times within days for the reasons best known to the concerned authorities at the helm of affairs, though officially these orders were said to be issued ‘in the interest of administration’.
On the other hand, some blue eyed and influential doctors continued to evade the ingenuous duty by managing to remain attached at the Directorate office or at the so called Evening Clinics in Jammu City notwithstanding a clear direction by the Commissioner Secretary Health to Director Health Jammu for immediate detachment of all the attachments and adjustment of surplus doctors in Jammu.
Pertinent to mention that total sanctioned strength of doctors in the Directorate of Health Services Jammu is 1370 while working strength is only around 900. However, more than 2000 transfers were affected in the Jammu Directorate during the last one and half year with several doctors shifted frequently within days till their pick and choose adjustment at suitable place, official sources told the Excelsior with documentary evidences in this regard.
While elaborating, sources quoted several orders, mostly individual, according to which some doctors were transferred from one place to another and within days, the same person was shifted to second and sometime third or even fourth place to adjust the blue eyed.
Listing the examples, sources quoted the orders of frequent shifting of a female Medical Officer, who was transferred thrice within two months. On 31-08-2017, vide order number 828- G of 2017, she was posted at PHC Arnia against an available vacancy while on 09-09-2017, the said order was modified and she was adjusted in CHC R S Pura. However, on 28-10-2017, the said Medical Officer was again shifted and detailed on duty in CD Hospital GMC Jammu till further orders.
Similarly, another doctor (M D Medicine), was shifted four times within a span of less than two months. As per order number 779- G of 2017, dated 18-08-2017, he was shifted from SDH Bishnah and posted at SDH Sohanjana against the post of Physician. On 16-09-2017, he was transferred from CHC Khour to SDH Nowshera with immediate effect, vide order number 507-HME of 2017 and on 03-10-2017, vide order number 957-G of 2017, he was shifted from CHC Sohanjana also to SDH Nowshera. However, vide order number 55-HME of 2017, dated 11-10-2017, the said doctor was again retained at CH Khour.
Another doctor was transferred from GMC Hospital Jammu to Reasi and within days, he was attached to the Directorate office from where he was against transferred and posted as Medical Officer CD Hospital Jammu.
further, a number of BMOs and CMOs were first demoted as Medical Officers and then again adjusted as BMO, CMO and Superintendents in the `interest of administration’. One such BMO was transferred from Purmandal and posted as Medical Superintendent at District Hospital Ramban. However, within days, his order was modified and he was retained as Superintendent DH Samba and then transferred and posted as CMO Kathua.
While on the one hand frequent transfers were being affected for suitable placement of the favorites, some blue eyed on the other hand continued to remain attached with the Directorate office or in the so called Evening Clinics in Jammu City.
The situation can be gauged from the fact that there were 136 surplus doctors in Jammu city till some of them were recently transferred only after the intervention of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and consequent issuance of a stern direction by the Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education, Pawan Kotwal.
However, sources said that a few surplus doctors are still continuing at these Evening Clinics at Sainik Colony, Talab Tillo, Bhagwati Nagar PHC, etc or attached in the Directorate office,
An influential Dental Surgeon, who is attached in the Directorate office for the last five years, has been managing his stay despite his detachment order for four times during this period. Besides, he is also a member of the significant Physical Verification Board of the Purchase Committee though he is not eligible for the same, sources said.
Pertinent to mention that Doctors Association Kashmir had recently alleged operating of transfer mafia in the Directorate of Kashmir where frequent transfer orders were similarly issued during the past some time.
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