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Top Telangana IAS officials axed for alleged inept handling of Covid situation in state
A Shanti Kumari, special chief secretary, medical and health department; and Yogita Rana, commissioner of health and family welfare, were shunted out of their posts.
The Telangana government late on Wednesday night transferred two senior women Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers from the medical and healthcare department following all-round criticism over the alleged inept handling of the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) situation in the state.
A Shanti Kumari, special chief secretary, medical and health department; and Yogita Rana, commissioner of health and family welfare, were shunted out of their posts.
While Kumari has been shifted to the department of environment and forests as the special chief secretary, Rana has been transferred to the social welfare department as the commissioner of Scheduled Castes development.
Another senior IAS officer, Syed Ali Murtuza Rizvi, who was an officer on special duty (OSD) at Telangana Bhavan, the camp office of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in Hyderabad, and also part of the core team, headed by chief secretary Somesh Kumar, has been named the new secretary, medical and health department.
Senior IAS officer Vakati Karuna replaced Rana as the commissioner, health and family welfare department.
An official in the state medical and health department familiar with the development said CM Rao was unhappy with the functioning of the two women IAS officers at a time when the state government was receiving brickbats from all quarters over the handling of the viral outbreak in the state.
There has been a surge in Covid-19 positive cases over the past two weeks amid widespread complaints from the public about lack of availability of sufficient beds in both government and private-run hospitals.
The recent strikes by junior doctors, nurses, and outsourcing staff at Gandhi Hospital, a dedicated Covid-19 facility; and a series of incidents relating to a spate of viral outbreak deaths due to non-availability of oxygen cylinders and ventilators have also dented the department’s reputation.
Besides, Telangana high court (HC) has been regularly pulling up the state government for lack of testing facilities at the Gandhi Hospital and also negligence in treatment at other government-run hospitals.
“The officials have failed to put up a proper defence in the court, which tarnished the state government’s reputation,” the official said.
