In contradiction of government orders for rationalising posting of doctors in health facilities of state, department of Indian System of Medicine (ISM) has allowed its doctors to continue being posted at the a number of allopathic health centres, depriving many far flung areas of the only health facility in the vicinity.
Earlier this month, ISM department has issued an order (DISM/J&K/Est/10709-14 dated 02 January 2018) to relieve “medical officers and paramedical staff attached in the office of assistant district medical officer, nodal officer and ISM dispensaries of Jammu and Kashmir” with immediate effect. These relieved employees of the ISM department were directed to report to their original place of posting. However, the order omits the words “staff attached to various health institutions of directorate of health service of Jammu and Kashmir divisions”. This, omission, a source in the ISM department said, has allowed doctors and paramedical staff of ISM department, that was attached to directorate of health services Jammu and directorate of health services Kashmir to continue working there.
In an attempt to rationalise the postings of health department human resource, government in November 2017 had issued orders that all doctors and paramedical staff attached or posted in excess at various health institutions across J&K, be relieved and transferred out. “It is enjoined upon all HODs i.e, director of health services Jammu/Kashmir/director ISM/director FW MCH and immunization” and many other departments “to detach/transfer out all attached/surplus consultants/medical officers/paramedical staff”, read the government order 05-HME of 2017. The order was issued in view of the shortage of doctors and paramedical staff in rural and far flung areas and high density of staff in cities and easily accessible areas.
Officials in health and medical education department said that ISM order that starts with “In supersession of all previous orders”, is in gross violation of government’s recent orders. “Can director ISM supersede orders issued by commissioner/secretary health and medical education?” an official in the department asked.
Currently, medical officers of ISM department and a number of paramedical staff continue to be attached/posted at various primary health centres and other health institutions which are meant to provide allopathic medicine services. In addition, the continued attachment of ISM doctors at PHCs and other allopathic health institutions, has resulted in scores of ISM dispensaries getting locked down, depriving people in far-flung areas of the state from availing the only health facility available.
As per information accessed by Greater Kashmir, scores of ISM doctors are posted across health centers of Kashmir. Many of these doctors, a source in the health department said, are included in the roaster of the health center. “Because they are part of the health center roaster, quite often are these doctors the only medical officer available on night duty. Will they be prescribing Ayurvedic medicines for emergencies that reach the health center?” asked the official.