Shillong, June 1: Meghalaya Medical Services Association (MMSA) on Wednesday demanded the state government to immediate set up an inquiry and take appropriate action against the Registrar and Director of Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH) for falsely portraying the Director of Health Services (MI) Dr Aman War in poor light in the media.
The association has also expressed shock at the alleged decision of the Principal Secretary in-charge Health and Family Welfare, Sampath Kumar to take sides with the IIPH instead of hearing the DHS(MI) side of the story into the May 27-incident at the old NIFT building at Pasteur Hills, Lawmali.
The other resolutions taken by the MMSA state executive committee (SEC) in an emergent meeting held on May 30 was also submitted to the Minister in-charge Health & Family Welfare James K Sangma for his intervention and necessary action.
In a letter to Sangma, MMSA president Dr. Y. Phira said, “We have decided to earnestly urge you to consider immediate enquiry into the actions of the Registrar and Director of IIPH, Shillong campus for falsely portraying the DHS (MI) in poor light in the media, who was exercising and discharging his duties as officially vested upon, and take appropriate action.”
Dr Phira said the association also demands that the IIPH, Shillong campus, be moved out of the current office space provided to them in the already congested office of the Deputy Director Malaria.
According to him, IIPH, Shillong campus, should be having their own office building by now as the MoU had been signed between the government and PHFI way back in 2008.
“The MMSA has further decided that it will take necessary steps if the government fails to take immediate measures to resolve the matter,” the letter warned.
The MMSA in the letter has also condemned the way the visit of DHS(MI) to old NIFT building on May 27, is being played out in the media by the Director and the Registrar of India Institute of Public Health (IIPH), Shillong campus, and senior government official of the state.
The letter said that the MMSA is aware that IIPH, Shillong campus, was set up to strengthen Public Health System in the state in particular and in the Northeast region in general adding “but the way the Registrar and Director of IIPH, Shillong campus, handled the matter by portraying the DHS(MI) in poor image and, that too in the media, has indeed affected the dignity and prestige of the members of the Meghalaya health services and this will rather disintegrate the health system than meeting the original mandate which IIPH, Shillong campus, is designed to deliver.”
The MMSA also urged upon the government to revisit the Memorandum of Understanding, which was entered into between the Government of Meghalaya and Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).
Further, the MMSA also expressed shock and surprise as to how the Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare Government of Meghalaya is taking sides with IIPH, Shillong campus, which is a non-governmental institution instead of safeguarding the DHS(MI) who is the controlling officer of the Public Health Institutions in the state of Meghalaya without giving him a chance to present his side of the story, not to mention the way the Registrar of IIPH, Shillong campus, had humiliated the Project Director and Deputy Director of MACS.
“This is demotivating and demoralizing for all medical doctors which in the long run will affect the smooth delivery of health care services in the state,” the letter read.
