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Confrontation in Health & Medical Education Department put lives of doctors, paramedical staff into risk

Financial Commissioner H&MD letter disapproves by DHSK

By Kashmir Age Online On Apr 3, 2020

Srinagar, Apr 03 : In wake of Covid-19 outbreak across J&K and subsequently preventive measures taken by the administration to keep the disease away, disparities were noticed in Health and Medical Education Department after Financial Commissioner H&MED and Director Health Services Kashmir issued two separate orders on April 1, 2020 in which former admitted the lack of proper and adequate personal protection gear while later snubbed doctors and other paramedical staff and asked them to desist from criticizing administration in public and directed that if any person will disobey regulations or order made under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 shall be deemed to have committed punishable offence.

According to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Several associations of medical experts across J&K recently appealed Lieutenant Governor led administration to provide them full personnel protection gear while combating deadly Covid-19. Doctors Association of Kashmir (DAK), an elite body of medical experts and front runner to fight deadly Covid-19 in Union Territory had recently shot a letter to Lieutenant Governor’s Advisor Baseer Ahmad Khan and took up the issue related to lack of facilities in government run hospitals including “proper and adequate personnel protection gear especially N95 Masks, PVC coated gowns, goggles and other necessary equipments” while combating Covid-19 pandemic.

Several leading doctors working in J&K’s premier health institutes had expressed disappointment over the apathetic behavior of state government who failed to provide vital protection gear needed for dealing Covid-19 patients at hospitals and quarantine centers.

However irony is that Financial Commissioner H&MED and Director Health Services Kashmir issued two separate orders on April 1, 2020 in which the stance of both contradicts with each other resulting lives of doctors and other paramedical staff into risk.

A letter in possession of KNS wrote by Atal Dulloo, IAS, Financial Commissioner, Health & Medical Education Department vide reference no. PS/FC/HME/2020/23 dated 01/04/2020 states, “It has been observed that at many places Health Care Professionals have been complaining of non-availability of Personal Protective Gears to look after the patients suffering from COVID-19 and have also been demanding of accommodation for the doctors and staff members, who are dealing with COVID-19 positive cases, admitted in the hospitals”.

It said, “It is therefore, impressed upon all the Heads of the Department of Health & Medical Education Department to ensure the safety of the health care professionals, who are very important resource of the J&K Government and are working very hard to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic situation”.

Dulloo in a letter further stated, “The Personal Protective Gears for the Health Care Professionals shall be arranged by the Heads of the Institution and provided to them to protect the form cross infection. Similarly, the arrangements for the stay of doctors and staff members treating COVID-19 positive cases shall also be made in consultation with the Divisional Commissioner Jammu/Kashmir respectively. The Heads of the Departments shall put up their requisitions to the Divisional Commissioners and make such arrangements immediately”.

“Matter may kindly be treated as Most Urgent”, highlighted the letter.

The letter which was signed by Financial Commissioner, H&ME Department was sent to Divisional Commissioner Jammu/ Kashmir, Mission Director, NHM J&K/In-charge Corona efforts, J&K also.

However on other side, Directorate of Health Services Kashmir came up with a separate order on the very same day and snubbed doctors and other paramedical staff on raising voice over inadequate facilities provided by the administration to fight Covid-19 pandemic.

A separate letter signed by Director, Health Services Kashmir vide reference no. DHSK/IDSP/2019-20/618-30 dated 01/04/2020 states, “

“It has been observed that some of the Government servants are publically criticizing the efforts of the administration to combat the Pandemic of Covid-19, which is against the service conduct rules. There can be difference of opinion or some minor issues, which the government employees can bring into the notice of concerned authorities so that the issue is redressed instead of putting that issue in social media, print and electronic media which is causing more harm than good to the public and administration in combating Covid-19”.

While issuing stern message to Doctors and Paramedical staff DHSK further stated, “Hence forth strict action will be initiated against such elements who resort to such uncalled for reporting to media. Any person disobeying any regulation or order made under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 shall be deemed to have committed an offence punishable under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860)”.

The letter had been sent to Financial Commissioner to Government (H&ME Department) Civil Secretariat Jammu, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, All Chief Medical Officer for necessary action and compliance.

Meanwhile several medical experts have criticized administration’s move while issuing two separate orders. They said, “On one hand government is admitting realities but on the other hand same administration is directing us to keep mum over inadequate facilities and warned us of tough action”. (KNS)