SHILLONG: Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek has refused to order an independent inquiry into the imbroglio in NEIGRIHMS, which has remained embroiled in controversies ever since its inception.
The Governing Council of the institute of which Hek is a member had earlier this week reportedly asked the NEIGRIHMS director, D M Thappa, to put in his papers.
Defending his stand, Hek said that the Governing Council has taken the decision to remove the director in the best interest of the institute.
“We do not have any ground to press for an independent inquiry nor is there any need,” Hek said .
Asked if it is not fair to have an independent inquiry to ascertain the truth behind the mess in NEIGRIHMS, he only said that the Governing Council has taken the decision which is in the best interest of the institute. He said that the director was given an opportunity to present his case before the Governing Council and none of the members supported him.
Hek said that Head of Cardiology department, Dr Animesh Mishra, has nothing to do with the Governing Council and the decision to remove the director was a collective one.
“Every member of the Governing Council wanted the removal of the director. Nobody supported the director. The voice to remove the director was a unanimous one,” he said
According to Hek, the chairman of the Governing Council, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, has categorically told the director to resign or the ministry would issue a transfer order.
Asked about the allegation that doctors are asking patients to purchase medicines from pharmacies which are outside the hospital despite Amrit Pharmacy being there on the premises of the hospital, he said it was an internal matter of NEIGRHIMS and the government does not want to interfere with its day-to-day affairs.
“The concern of the state government is only to see that people don’t suffer,” Hek said while informing that the government has taken steps by asking its officials to convene a meeting with NEIGRHIMS authorities.
Asked whether he would look into the various accusations, including of bribery by Mishra, made by the director, he said he was only concerned with the decision of the Governing Council.
Stating that the people are not happy with the performance of the director, he added that the latter had not convened a single meeting whether related to administration or faculty to review activities in the last two years.
“The accusations are his own and I will not like to reply. I have not been bribed,” he said. When asked if he does not want that politics in NEIGRHIMS should end, he said that the state government from day one has been of the view that the politics should end in the institute. Thappa on Thursday made a series of allegations particularly picking out Mishra and Sanjo Medical. He accused the head of the Cardiology department of conniving with Sanjo Medical at the expense of AMRIT pharmacy, which is a central government initiative to provide items at subsidised rates to the poor and needy patients.
