A delegation of Government doctors met the Chief Secretary (CS), S Ramaswamy on Wednesday and demanded that only a person of the provincial health services should be appointed on the post of director general of health services. The delegation was led by the president of the Provincial Medical Health Association (PMHS), Dr S K Goswami. The delegation told the CS that after the voluntary retirement of DG, Dr Kusum Narriyal the process to appoint a person of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) cadre on the post of DG has been initiated by the state administration which is against the rules and regulations of the department. The delegation warned that the doctors of the State health services would be forced to the undertake an intense agitation if any IAS is made DG.
later, the president of PMHS, Dr Goswami told The Pioneer that the CS patiently heard the grievance of the association of government doctors and assured that only a person belonging to the cadre of Provincial Medical Services would be appointed on the post of DG. Before meeting the CS the executive body of PMHS held a meeting at the state health directorate and unanimously decided to oppose any attempt to foist any IAS officer on the post of DG health which according to them is cadre post of PMS.
It is pertinent to mention here that the incumbent DG, Dr Narriyal citing family reasons requested for premature retirement from the service. Her plea was accepted by the state administration and she would now superannuate on January 31. Dr Abha Mamgain who is the second senior most officer in the health department also expressed her unwillingness to discharge duties of the DG. It reportedly prompted the authorities to hand over the responsibilities of the DG to an IAS officer. This move infuriated the powerful association of doctors, the PMHS. Meanwhile the director National Health Mission (NHM), Dr R S Aswal met the additional chief secretary health Om Prakash and registered his claim on the post of DG. Dr Aswal widely believed to be next DG if the government sticks to the tradition of appointing a doctor of health service on the post of DG. It is learnt that Dr Aswal has threatened to go to the court if the government makes any person other than one belonging to PMHS as DG. In another development all six directors of the state health department have threatened to take voluntary retirement if some IAS or non medical cadre officer is imposed on them.