SHILLONG, June 20: The North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, the only super-specialty medical institute in Meghalaya, is staring at a severe manpower crisis with as many as 20 doctors reportedly planning to shift to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Guwahati.
It is learnt that these 20 doctors serving in different departments of NEIGRIHMS have already applied to AIIMS Guwahati and are waiting to be absorbed, pending their selection. As per the results announced by AIIMS Guwahati for appointment of faculty, some doctors from NEIGRIHMS have already been selected while others are wait-listed.
It is also learnt that many doctors who wanted to shift base from NEIGRIHMS to AIIMS Guwahati had applied for the mandatory ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the Institute but the then Director, DM Thappa, had rejected their applications.
Speaking on the matter on Monday, NEIGRIHMS Director Nalin Mehta said it was an old matter when some doctors from the institute had applied for different posts in AIIMS Guwahati.
Asked if reports of the doctors leaving were true, he said, “Once and if the exodus takes place, we will see although I can foresee that we will be stretched and stressed but we are hopeful that our services will not be affected.”
Dr Mehta also informed that they are in the process of recruiting fresh faculty and they are hopeful of getting more people by the time the exodus takes place.
Making it clear that no doctor has quit the institute till date, he pointed out that NEIGRIHMS had recently advertised for several posts.
“We have conducted the internal screening and the external screening is likely to be done within this month,” Dr Mehta said.
On being asked the reason for such an exodus, he said that based on his personal discussions with some doctors, they have personal, professional and financial reasons.
Some faculty say they have to look after their elderly parents while others are looking at better prospects for their children, he said.
Stating that the AIIMS Guwahati may probably be offering better pay packages, he said that there are no incentives for people to work in the Northeast and this may be one of the reasons for people not willing to serve in the region.
Meanwhile some serving faculty of NEIGRIHMS who did not want to be quoted said that since NEIGRIHMS is located in Meghalaya, the state government, the chief minister, health minister and MPs should support the institute, speak about its gross neglect in Parliament and raise issues with the Union Ministry of Health but instead they have left NEIGRIHMS orphaned.
“How can we expect the state governments of Nagaland, Mizoram or Arunachal Pradesh to advocate for better facilities and improvement in terms of service when the host state is silent?” queried a senior faculty of NEIGRIHMS, adding that those who will suffer the most will be the people of Meghalaya who do not yet have their own medical college.
Attempts to contact Health Minister James PK Sangma did not materialise since he was reportedly busy.
