Early Times Report
Jammu, June 13: Principal Government Medical College Jammu, Dr Nasib Chand Digra, during his quarantine period chaired an important meeting on June 9, 2020 thus putting the lives of other participants at stake.
According to the documents available with Early Times, the officiating principal of GMC Jammu issued a meeting notification on June 8, 2020 asking the selected doctors to assemble in the committee room of the Principal office, GMC Jammu to discuss the issues for conduct of MBBS examinations. The meeting notification stated that the following doctors/officer are requested to attend the meeting: Director Principal, ASCOMS Jammu along with members of academic team, Dr Dinesh Kumar, Professor & Head, P&SM, Dr Subhash Bhardwaj, Professor & Head, Pathology, Dr Mritunjay Gupta, Professor, Physiology, Dr Seema Gupta, Professor, Pharmacology, Dr. Vishal Tandon, Professor, Pharmacology, Dr. Rakesh Bahl, Associate Professor, Pharmacology, Administrative Officer, GMC Jammu.
However, the meeting was held at Faculty Club of Govt Medical College Jammu. The meeting was chaired by Dr Nasib Chand Digra instead of the officiating principal. “The venue was changed as the entire administrative block of GMC Jammu, including Principal’s office is under CCTV surveillance, whereas, in Faculty Club there are no CCTV cameras,” said a source.
“By violating the quarantine norms the GMC Principal put the lives of other doctors who are the forefront of fighting COVID-19 at stake. Had anyone of them contracted the virus, it could have led to the entire system at GMC Jammu getting crippled,” said a doctor, wishing not to be named.
It may be recalled that the GMC Principal on May 28, 2020 attended a meeting chaired by a senior IAS officer. After the meeting, the IAS officer tested positive for COVID-19 following which the GMC Principal was asked to go into quarantine. Before going into quarantine on May 30, 2020 the GMC Principal appointed Dr Ashutosh Gupta as officiating principal.
As per the SOPs of home quarantine, prescribed by Government of India and adopted by UT of J&K one who is put under home quarantine after coming in close contact with some positive patient has to stay in a well-ventilated single-room preferably with an attached/separate toilet. If another family member needs to stay in the same room, it is advisable to maintain a distance of at least 1 meter between the two.
The said person as per SOP needs to stay away from elderly people, pregnant women, children and persons with co-morbidities within the household. Restrict his/her movement within the house. At no cost the said person can move out of home if officially quarantined under no circumstances such person can attend any social/religious gathering e.g. wedding, condolences or meetings, etc.
Meanwhile, Dr Nasib Chand Digra joined duties on Saturday and relieved Dr Ashutosh from the post of the officiating principal. |
