The North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) has been in the news for the wrong reasons, particularly in the last two years. That the Governing Council meeting was held on October 14 last after a gap of four years (GC last held in 2015) shows that all is not well in the functioning of the Institution. NEIGRIHMS is one among several health institutions modeled along the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Hence even the administrative format needs to be replicated accordingly. Ironically in NEIGRIHMS the post of Deputy Director which is integral to the smooth and efficient administration of the Institution is being handled by a technician (engineer) on lien from the State Government. It is not without reason that administrators are put through the grill and trained to manage people and institutions. Earlier the post was held by a civil servant of the Indian Revenue Service. On his return to the parent organisation the post is held by a state government engineer. The argument given is that since NEIGRIHMS has several ongoing construction projects an engineer would be able to give his considered opinions on the matter. But this violates the principle of independence surveillance which is what the Central Public Works Department should be doing.
However, the above is just one anomaly. The Director who has been given marching orders post the Governing Council meeting is holding fast to his post. There has to be cogent reasons why the Governing Council has decided to replace him. And there are reasons galore. Several competent doctors have been put through the wringer on account of the authoritarian nature of the Director whose ability to bring a harmonious working environment has been repeatedly questioned. Many doctors who came to the Institute with the spirit of service have had to leave under duress to safeguard their reputations and their sanity both.
To post a person who is completely alien to the tribal culture of the North East to head an institution here is in itself an administrative failure of the Government of India. This is a region where no caste or class hierarchies exist. There are cultural nuances here which merit respect, but, which a newcomer with a closed mindset might consider inappropriate. The fact that there are so many patients awaiting surgeries on a given day due to poor administration should have attracted penal provisions had patients and their families gone to a court of law or to the human rights commission.
NEIGRIHMS now needs to heal and the Government of India owes this to the people of North East India.