Nepotism, favoritism mars Bandipora District Hospital functionality
Bandipora, 15 Nov: Favoritism and nepotism has badly affected the routine functioning of District Hospital Bandipora as the blue-eyed persons are calling shots in the hospital.
At a time when authorities in the Health Department claim to have an effective transfer policy to ensure better governance, blue-eyed persons are overstaying at their favorite places of postings, an official survey revealed.
As per the insiders, the District Hospital Bandipora is akin to ‘mismanagement concerning to the transfer of doctors and para-medical staff enjoying stay for years together at the same station.
Officials sources said some of the Medicos, Medical Assistants, and drivers posted at the hospital are working for the past 5-10 years. “These employees have not been touched by the successive governments and they continue to stay at their favorite place of posting at District Hospital, Bandipora,” they said.
Locals also alleged the doctors and paramedical staff prefer to stay at DH Bandipora so that they can perform private practices at private clinics. Sources said that the ‘untouched’ medicos and paramedic staff have created a strong ‘lobby’ in the hospital and if any Medical Superintendent or Chief Medical Officer tries to get them transferred, this lobby along with the senior paramedics goes against the Medical Superintendent and CMO till his or her ouster. “These doctors cut short their duty hours and go for private practice in clinics and private hospitals as they have considered the district hospital as their fiefdom,” sources revealed further.
Residents alleged that many doctors direct the patients to visit their private clinics even though they come to hospitals for free treatment. They said though they carried out strong complaints against the hospital administration nothing was done.
Sources told that in mid-September this year, the Chief Medical officer Bandipora had proposed to the DHSK for a mass reshuffle of doctors and paramedical staff from district hospital Bandipora. They said that the proposal was sent to the Directorate of Health Services after repeated complaints daily from locals as well as patients in different offices on social media regarding the rude behaviour and mismanagement of the staff of DH.
An official communique in this regard reads, “It is hereby requested to your good self that the mass reshuffle of the whole staff of District Hospital Bandipora and Block Bandipora overstayed both doctors and para-medical staff may be done at an earliest in the interest of better patient care so that the daily based grievances/complaints of general public and patients are redressed,” reads the proposal copy of CMO Bandipora.
However, sources said that even after two months no action has been taken in this regard since then by the top health official of Kashmir.
Locals appeal to Lieutenant Governor and Director Health services Kashmir to look into the matter so that people are not taken for a ride.
