*Offers to get voluntary retirement
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 13: Principal and Dean Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu, Dr Nasib Chand Digra today clarified that there is no shortage of oxygen in the medical college and only occasional interruption.
Addressing a press conference in committee room of GMC Jammu, Dr Digra said that the medical college has adequate oxygen cylinders and there is no shortage. However, some interruption has been noticed occasionally in free flow of oxygen.
He further informed that in the coming days they are going to install a liquid oxygen plant in the medical college and all the home work has been done by the mechanical department of the GMC to install the same. Within 15-20 days, this plant will be in place, he added.
Regarding confusion of Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) and RTPCR test of COVID-19, Dr Digra said that neither RAT nor RTPCR test has 100 % positivity rate. He said while RAT has 40-50 % positivity rate, the positivity rate of RTPCR test is 70 %. He said RAT may show a COVID positive patient as negative if the viral load in the patient is low.
He said as per the protocol, they conduct RAT on patients having symptoms and if the report comes negative, RTPCR is done but if the RAT comes positive, they consider the positive as COVID positive and there is no need of RTPCR testing.
On a question regarding handing over of bodies of COVID positive patients, Dr Digra said that their responsibility is to properly pack the body, shifting it into mortuary room, shifting the body into the ambulance for cremation and providing PPE kits to the deceased’s family members. Where to cremate and when to cremate the body, is decided by the district administration, he emphasized.
Meanwhile, Dr Digra, in a letter addressed to J&K LG Manoj Sinha, offered voluntarily retirement. In the letter, Dr Digra said unfortunately since his appointed as Principal GMC Jammu on May 1, 2020, he has been facing extra burden of tackling COVID-19 pandemic, besides duties of HoD Surgery though MCI Rules do not allow Principal of any Medical College to act as Head of the Department.
“The HoD ship was thrusted upon me that have caused lot of extra burden on me. However, my request of giving charge of HoD to some other senior faculty member of the department did not accede to,” he said adding that in last four months, he had been put under huge undue pressure to take some pending decisions of his predecessor which can have long term repercussions on the Chair and the institution.
“Such interferences into the internal working of the GMC Principal office shall create huge space for anarchy, indiscipline and further demeaning of the office,” he rued and said that the work culture in GMC and inter personal relations are already on deterioration modes that needs to be taken care of and such orders shall act as stumbling blocks in stopping deterioration in GMCs.
He said if his services are not being liked by anybody, he offer to get voluntary retirement from the service.
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