E-Paper
A year of changes for health dept
FOR MEDICAL and health departments, the year 2005 was indeed a hectic one. Three chief medical officers (CMO) were changed but the move proved to be futile as every new CMO was found struggling to improve upon the insipid health department. Time and again epidemics wrecked havoc on people and the transfer policy of state government marred the health services in the entire Kanpur zone as Provincial Medical Services doctors remained tense through out the year to complete the academic session.
FOR MEDICAL and health departments, the year 2005 was indeed a hectic one. Three chief medical officers (CMO) were changed but the move proved to be futile as every new CMO was found struggling to improve upon the insipid health department.
Time and again epidemics wrecked havoc on people and the transfer policy of state government marred the health services in the entire Kanpur zone as Provincial Medical Services doctors remained tense through out the year to complete the academic session.
The health department official’s effectiveness was tested in the months of July andAugust, when Japanese Encephalitis claimed several lives in the city.
The doctors briefed the Commissioner Kanpur zone that it required 15 days to get the results of Cerebrospinal fluid taken from the spine of suspected JE patients to confirm the case.
However, Microbiology department of SGPGI Lucknow said that it could make available the JE test report in 72 hours. Later, IgM Elisa kit to test suspected JE cases in the city was installed at the microbiology department of GSVM medical college but the department didn’t compromise with holidays amidst the increasing number of cases.
The wrath of Chief Minister’s divisional evaluation meeting in August came down heavily on then CMO Dr DS Patel as he was suspended for negligence in dispersing duty, though his subordinates were found saying that Dr Patel was made scapegoat as he refused to pay certain amount to an MLA for organising a health camp in Bheetargaon.
The first confrontation of epidemic and health services happened in April when hundreds of people got inflicted with diarrhea in Jajmau area. Callousness of health department was exposed as hospitals failed to cater the needs of patients. The CMO incharge Dr Sudarshan Bhuian was removed from the post.
The year kicked off with the exposure of scam in the purchase of medicines and then CMO Dr RS Diwakar was suspended, though none of the state ministers bothered to check whether patients were provided medicines and other medical tests facilities in the government hospitals free of cost.
A High Court stay on the transfers of PMS doctors brought much relief to the transferred doctors but by then they had decided to make use of the provisions of holidays in government job to save the future of their kids.
The year brought whopping amount of Rs 15 crore to GSVM medical college for upgradation of facilities but even after installations of several state-of-the-art machines patients were seen at the residences of government doctors than at OPDs.
2005 will also be remembered as a year when medicos turned violent and took on police blatantly
