Ad-hocism, apathy dogs NEIGRIHMS
By Our Reporter
Shillong: The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has appointed Dr AG Ahangar, head of the Cardiothoracic surgery department of the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) as the new Director of NEIGRIHMS, Ministry sources informed on Monday.
The appointment of Dr Ahangar appears to be a case of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad foisting a nominee from his own home state to Meghalaya.
According to sources, Dr Ahangar is embroiled in a legal controversy with his own institution.
Things have deteriorated to the extent that he has not only challenged the incumbent Director of SKIMS, Prof Showkat Ali Zargar’s appointment in April 2011 in the J&K High Court but has also levelled serious allegations on the competence and integrity of the members of the Search Committee.
Dr Ahangar was a short-listed candidate for the Director’s post. He was apparently miffed at not being selected and questioned the proceedings of the Search Committee, members of which allegedly interviewed and recommended their own close relatives and personal physician.
This disgruntled doctor, who was not selected as a medical institute director in his own state, has now been accommodated in Meghalaya.
News reports from Kashmir indicate that the Chief Minister, who is also the Chairman of the Governing Body of SKIMS, is unhappy with this state of affairs at the Institute and has been reluctant to attend functions there.
According to these sources, litigations have marred the academic and research atmosphere at the hospital for the last many months.
It should be recalled that NEIGRIHMS has had 17 directors in the 25 years of its existence.
All of these were placed in an ‘acting’ capacity except one, Dr Yeolekar, who himself suddenly resigned last year in controversial circumstances.
The faculty of NEIGRIHMS feel that the growth of the Institute is impeded due to absence of vision and ad-hocism.
They feel that the Union Health Ministry should appoint a Director with a vision for the region and commitment to the Institution.