In DH Bandipora, paramedic staff acts as ‘collection agents’ for private labs

Suhail Rather

Bandipora, March 07: Favoritism and nepotism has badly affected the routine functioning of the health sector in North Kashmir's Bandipora district as the blue-eyed persons over staying at one place of posting are calling shots in the district.

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. 

To avoid the public wrath,   the blue-eyed persons are transferred and within hours they are called back, “to ensure smooth functioning”- a term used to allow nepotism.

The health sector in Bandipora is akin to ‘mismanagement  especially with regard to the transfer policy 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 in the district 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 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 while they enjoy posting in hospital just to refer patients to get medicines or tests done at particular private labs in the district while in return they get commissions.

          “They have turned the hospital into a mere collection centre. Patients are asked to go to particular labs in the town even though they come to hospital for free tests. Test of only these select labs are accepted and money is minted from the patients,” locals alleged.

Surprisingly the paramedic staff of the hospital works in these private clinics after duty hours thereby developing conflict of interest.

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.

Sources told earlier, the Chief Medical officer Bandipora had proposed to the DHSK for a mass reshuffle of doctors and paramedical staff from district hospital Bandipora and other health blocks of district.

They said that the proposal was sent to the Directorate of Health Services after repeated complaints from locals as well as patients regarding the rude behavior and mismanagement of the staff of Bandipora district. 

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, Hajin and Gurez 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.