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| SKIMS is in mess, thanks to ex-Govt's policies | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, July 5: Kashmir's lone territory care hospital, SKIMS, is in a mess because of wrong policies of the erstwhile PDP-led coalition government, which turned the institute into a battleground of politics.
In the last two years, Dr Manzoor Rather, a US-based physician, who happens to be brother-in-law of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti interfered in all the affairs of the SKIMS, sources told Early Times.
"In July 2016, after recommendations of highly reputed selection panel, Prof A G Ahangar was nominated for the post of Director SKIMS, but orders got delayed as Dr Manzoor Rather tried his best to get one of his close friends Dr Altaf Ramzan (HOD Neurosurgery) appointed as Director. On the other side, Mehbooba's uncle Sartaj Madni was lobbying for his close friend Dr Khursheed Alam," sources said.
"Both of these doctors are known for illegal private practice (and have cases against them) and are responsible for other irregularities in SKIMS," they said.
It was then because of public pressure, media scrutiny and opposition's hue and cry that finally orders were issued to appoint Prof Ahangar as Director SKIMS. "But unfortunately Dr Ahangar was not allowed to work. Mehbooba, in order to please her brother-in-law and uncle, was made to nominate Dr Altaf Ramzan and Dr Khursheed Alam as SKIMS's Governing Body members. This was against constitutional norms of the Governing Body," sources said.
This violation, and issue of back door entry, was raised in state assembly also by several legislators, but the government turned a deaf ear to it. Media also regularly pointed it out but it was altogether ignored by the government, as a result of which, "these two corrupt doctors started running parallel administration in SKIMS and Director SKIMS was rendered ineffective and this was encouraged by the CM office to please Dr Manzoor Rather."
"Not only this, these members also misled the government about one of the doctors, who started Department of Surgical Oncology in SKIMS and initiated and promoted the concept of cancer-out-reach programme at various district hospitals to provide treatment at door steps and to train surgeons at district hospital level. But he was victimized through various means and baseless allegations were levelled against him and finally he was forced to resign and flee the state. Irony is that the cancer out-reach programme was stopped and department of Cancer Surgery was handed over to a general surgeon," sources said.
"After making Director's job difficult, this mafia was looking for excuses to get Director SKIMS sacked and then sting operation on private practice of some doctors by a television channel was used as an excuse to relieve Director of his duties. Then Mehbooba threw Prof M S Khuroo out of the Governing Body and Apical selection committee membership as he was the only voice left who used to oppose their corruption and back door appointments in SKIMS," they said.
A senior doctor at the SKIMS said the prestigious institution had become a victim of family politics of Mehbooba Mufti. "Now onus lies with Governor NN Vohra to restore glory of this prestigious institution by taking necessary actions against this mafia," he said.
The doctor said the need of the hour was to take corrective measures to restore the credibility of this Institution by reinstating Prof Ahangar as Director, re-nominating Prof Khuroo as Governing Body and Apical selection committee member, re-constituting both Governing Body and Apical selection committee by nominating well renowned experts in the field from all over India and reviewing the recent victimisation against four doctors. |
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