Sahil Verma
JAMMU, May 7: To the surprise of one and all, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir which never gets tired of boasting about its efforts to bring vibrancy in the Health Department has gone phlegmatic as the significant posts of Director Health Services Jammu, Director Family Welfare Department and Deputy Director SKIMS are all lying vacant, affecting the services to the hilt.
Setting the bad example, the government has remained lethargic to fill the post of Director Health Services Jammu, which is lying vacant for the last more than one month as this has never happened in the history of J&K. Although the post of DHS Jammu was lying vacant for the last one year but the additional charge was given to Dr. Saleem-ur-Rehman, Director General, Family Welfare, MCH & Immunization.
It is astonishing that despite the superannuation of Dr. Salim on March 31, no one has been given the charge of DHS Jammu while the post of Dr Salim has also gone vacant. There were reports that the government is mulling to appoint Dr. Praveen Yograj, Medical Superintendent of Gandhi Nagar Hospital, Jammu or Dr. Rajeev, Deputy Director Headquarters for the coveted post but to no avail as four days have been passed and there is no news about the successor of DHS Jammu, who has left the post.
Earlier it was the
convention that after the retirement of a Director, the charge was handed over to his successor on the same day. It is really worrisome that the people sitting at helm are showing utter neglect in filling the aforesaid posts, which are considered as bedrock of the entire Health Department in the Union Territory. The post of Deputy Director SKIMS is also lying vacant making it vital for the government to become proactive and fill the posts lying vacant or else things could turn haywire anytime.
Notably in Jammu and Kashmir, the medical officers have severed several times on the post of Director Health Service while in other states and Union Territories across the country only Medical Consultants are eligible for the post of Director Health Service.
Due to corrupt culture in the Union Territory, officers sitting at the helm of affairs least bothering about the norms of appointment of officers on such coveted posts which directly affects on the functioning of the Health Department. It may be the reason that the Health Department will not able to provide medical services at par with other states of the country due to which people always prefer to get medical services from the neighboring states like Punjab and Delhi.
