NHM pokes nose in DHSK’s works

Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Sept 22: In a bid to sideline the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK), National Health Mission (NHM) is delimiting the role of the Directorate with regard to various works undertaken by it (DHSK) across Kashmir by constant ‘interference’ and ‘hijacking’.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that while NHM’s job is to provide funds for various works undertaken by the Directorate, it is constantly poking its nose in almost every work, thus affecting the execution of the work.
“While the Directorate has somehow weakened in maintaining its domain of work lately, the NHM is taking all the benefits from it and is poking its nose in almost all the matters,” a source said.
Most of the field work regarding various initiatives is undertaken by the Directorate; however, the sources said that the NHM officials and its Medical Officers across Kashmir are taking undue credit of the work originally carried out by the Directorate office, thus trying to sideline the Directorate.
In works, where both the Directorate and NHM have to work in coordination, it is alleged that the NHM hijacks it all and presents the work in official meetings where the concerned officials from the Directorate are not called, the source said.
“Two agencies have undertaken the work, and then both the representatives are to be called whenever there is a review meet or the end product of the work is to be presented, but that is not done,” source said.
The NHM officials are said to collect the relevant details regarding the works carried out by the point persons of the Directorate and later present those details in the meetings with the higher-ups, leading to a total sideline of the Directorate office in Srinagar.
“Their sole job is that of funding, they cannot do the otherwise; they cannot make it appear that they are doing everything and the Directorate is a way lying defunct,” the source added.
The source said that recently, a doctor in Budgam refused to provide details of few works-carried out by the staff at SDH Budgam-to the NHM Medical Officer telling them that it was not their domain. The refusal resulted in the transfer of the doctor.
“The doctor actually denied the requested information that was being sought by the NHM doctors, the doctor was attached on the grounds of rude behavior,” the source said, adding that such is extent of meddling with the works of the Directorate.

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