Nitesh Sangral
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 3: The famous phrase 'One step forward, two steps back' aptly fits to successive Governments and Jammu and Kashmir Department of Health and Medical Education, as one hand side they are going to start Post Graduation classes in a department of GMC Jammu and other hand side as pressing shortfall of teaching faculty in the Medical College Jammu is looming danger on budding career of medicos aspiring for post graduation besides usual medicare at this premier hospital in Jammu region.
Official sources told Early Times that GMC and Hospital (GMCH) Jammu, doesn't conform to the guidelines of the Medical Council of India (MCI) as majority of departments are being managed by makeshift arrangements only.
Hospital sources said, "Various major departments of GMC Hospital Jammu including Biochemistry, Community Medicine, Cardiology, Dermatology, ENT, Forensic Medicine, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, General Surgery, General Medicine, Microbiology, Paediatrics, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology and Radio-Therapy, are running on minimal faculty and interestingly, the Medical Education Department of the State least bothers to end the shortage of faculty.
Due to lackadaisical approach of successive Governments and concerned authority, the medical students of the hospital are worried about their career because they get less chances for their Post Graduation courses in major medical subjects and from their research work in various departments of GMC Jammu due to lack of teaching faculty.
A doctor of GMC hospital Jammu wishing anonymity told that academics and research works at the GMCH Jammu is suffering badly and it is affecting the quality of teaching and training of the trainee doctors- the post graduates particularly.
He further said that recently, the department had created 21 faculty posts for GMC Jammu and Srinagar but it is just a drop in the ocean. "A Govt order creates 21 posts of professors, associate professors in GMCs in State on May 12 this year, he said, adding, "As per order issued by Health and Medical Education Department, 11 posts of Professors and Associate Professors in various Departments were created for GMC, Jammu while 10 posts of Professors and Associate Professors in various departments were created in GMC, Srinagar. "But this initiative could just be considered as an ICU patient recovering but shifted to normal ward as yet it is serious, he satirically said.
If recalled here officially, GMCs facing shortage of 231 faculty members while GMC Jammu is short of 87 posts of faculty members and 144 at GMC Srinagar.
On March 20, 2013, in reply to the question of MLA from Domana, Bharat Bhushan, the Minister Incharge Medical Education said that 87 posts of faculty members have been lying vacant in Government Medical College, Jammu and 144 in the Government Medical College, Srinagar.
In GMC, Jammu, out of sanctioned strength of 288 Professors, Associate Professors, Assistant Professors and Lecturers, 201 are in place and 87 posts are lying vacant. Similarly, against sanctioned strength of 399 in the Government Medical College, Srinagar, 255 are in place and 144 posts are lying vacant.
"In addition to this, these vacancies are also being filled up on temporary basis on academic arrangement in terms of the provisions of SRO 384 of 2009?. And with two year many faculty members have retired further creating a void in faculty and compounding the problems for already ailing GMCH Jammu which frequently hits media limelight due to attendants and doctors clashes.
"In the absence of faculty, the students, who are studying in the GMC Jammu, are worried about their careers as they are deprived of quality education, "a medical student of GMC Jammu lamented.
Meantime all attempts to get comment from Secretary for Health and Medical Education Department Dr M K Bhandari turned futile as he couldn't be contacted for comment. |
