Editor,
NEIGRIHMS, has been in the news recently for no good reasons. Leaving aside a few inaugurations and seminars which do not concern the masses we have been regularly reading in the papers about mismanagement of the Institute, lack of motivation for the faculties, shortage of faculty, incompetent director, active politics in the Institute, leaving of faculty, vacant posts, etc., which are giving this institution of bad reputation. Initially, we were grateful to the powers that be in Delhi to have been allotted an Institute of such magnitude. Huge infrastructure, latest equipments, state of the art facilities, large scope of employment for all were well received by one and all! As years passed we were witness to a pathetic and slow decay of medical services – leave alone research and development, which is not good for the health of such an Institute. Patients, especially from the interiors started complaining of delayed and slow rate of consultations, long waits for investigations, costly operative procedures, and a lot of other talks which did not go down well with us.
I feel something has to be done and done fast or else we may witness the untimely death of this wonderful Institute. I am not a good critic but I do not need to see more telltale signs which indicate that all is not well. I am not saying all the faculty are not up to their tasks or are incompetent but for an institution to function and prosper we need a well organized team with a very dynamic and efficient leader at the top who is a role model for all in the Institute. We cannot have faculties performing some duties in OPDs, OTs and opting out of academics, research, etc. due to shortage of faculty or any other reasons.
Now we have students on the agitation path as they are not sure whether they have taken the right decision to join this Institute and doubly unsure whether they can finish this course in time for no fault of theirs. This is not good. Sadly the State Government has always maintained a non interfering attitude, citing reasons like NEIGRIHMS being a central government aided autonomous body etc. Its fine while all is well. But the patients who attend this institute are also from this State. It is the duty and responsibility of the State Government to see that all the patients attending it get the best and affordable medical facilities; all the departments are manned with qualified and experienced faculty, and that we do not read such depressing news regularly which make us question whether we have just got a white elephant we cannot use. However, all is not lost yet. We can surely identify the reasons that are leading to all the problems, deliberate on it and I am sure we can and will be able to find the solution soon. The people concerned should get together to rectify all the problems soon so we can proudly say that this Institute is the best.
Yours etc.,
Dr Rajinder Singh Bawa,
Via emai