In an important development, the State Government has re-established the Hospital Management Committee (HMC) in the associated hospital of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC).
The HMC used to manage the affairs of erstwhile Doon hospital prior to its amalgamation in the GDMC. This committee was suspended after the hospital was merged with the medical college. This decision was taken in a joint meeting of top officials of health and medical education department chaired by the Health Minister Surendra Singh Negi and Medical Education Minister Dinesh Dhanai on Friday. The meeting was specially convened to ensure better management of the biggest hospital of the State.
The District Magistrate (DM) of Dehradun is the chairman of the HMC and it has representatives of Member of Parliament (MP) and MlAs. This committee was dissolved on January 21, 2016 after which the availability of medicines and other equipments in the biggest hospital of the State was affected. The Government has appointed the Principal GDMC, Dr Pradeep Bharati Gupta as deputy Chairman of the HMC.
In another important decision, the State Government has bestowed some limited financial powers on the Medical Superintendent (MS) of associated hospital of GDMC, Dr KK Tamta. The Health Minister said that
former Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of Doon women hospital, Dr Meenakshi Joshi would be the deputy MS of the associated hospital now and would help Dr Tamta in discharging his duties.
The Government has conferred a financial power of Rs3 lakh each on Dr Tamta and Dr Joshi. However they would have to take approval of Principal GDMC for any expenses in excess of Rs3 lakh.
It is worth mentioning here that Dr Tamta had no financial power till date which was hindering day to day functioning of the associated hospital of GDMC. He had publically voiced this handicap of his as one of the main reason for sorry state of affairs prevailing in the hospital.
In the meeting the Ministers Negi and Dhanai directed the medical education secretary, D Senthil Pandian to issue immediate orders for financial powers to MS and his deputy. He was also asked to issue orders regarding re-establishment of the HMC in the associated hospital.
It was also decided that the 50 percent of the total money received by means of user charges would be at the disposal of HMC and no patient would be referred to other hospital as specialist and super specialists are available in the medical college.
The status of Jan Aushadhi Kendras and Mukhyamantri Swasthaya Bima Yojana (MSBY) was discussed in detail in the meeting. In the meeting Negi clearly said that if any officer faces functional problem in the hospital than he/ she can directly contact him, medical education Minister or Senthil Pandian.
These decisions are being seen as an attempt though belated to bring back some sort of order in the biggest hospital of the State which was marred with problems of management and budget. It also means that the male and female hospitals would be solely managed by the Medical Superintendent and the Principal would be in an advisory role only.
The meeting was attended by Health secretary Bhupendra Kaur Olakh, Secretary medical education D Senthil Pandian, officiating Director General Health Dr S C Pant, Principal GDMC Dr Pradeep Bharati Gupta, Medical education director Dr Ashutosh Sayana, Dr KK Tamta, Dr Meenakshi Joshi and others.