Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 10 2009:
Peeved with the recruitment process of Assistant Professors at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), some doctors have even tendered resignation letters.
According to disclosures made by some doctors of JN Hospital to The Sangai Express, the JNIMS, which would be funded by the State Government, is to be run by a society headed by the Chief Minister as chairman.
Members of the society include the Chief Secretary, Commissioner or Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Vice-Chancellor of MU, RIMS Director, Health Services Director and JNIMS Director.
Having no idea whether all doctors and staff of JN Hospital would be accommodated as and when the hospital is merged with the medical institute and oblivious of what their position would be, many doctors have been greatly demoralised.
According to an order issued by the Health Department Secretary on May 2 this year, all the staff of JN Hospital would be put under direct control of JNIMS.
However it was not clear whether the order meant all the existing staff or only those recruited in JNIMS.
As per MCI rules, there are 61 doctors in JN Hospital holding required certificates to qualify for the post of Assistant Professor.
JNIMS being a medical institute to be run by a society, qualified doctors of JN Hospital should be recruited as Assistant Professors on deputation, they contended.
There is also a standing rule to recruit Assistant Professors or Lecturers from amongst State Government employees as far as possible.
Open invitations may be made when there is no qualified candidate among the State Govt employees, asserted the disgruntled doctors.
Instead of recruiting Assistant Professors or Lecturers on deputation, the candidates, including those belonging to JN Hospital, have been compelled to face open DPC.
Conducting open DPC violates seniority list of the doctors, they pointed out.
While junior doctors have been recruited, many senior doctors have been left out, causing widspread discontentment.
Disappointed with the recruitment process, a senior doctor and an expert in Xray diagnosis have submitted their resignation letters.
Another demoralising factor is the uncertainty about the positions of the doctors, who were not selected in the DPC as well as those who could not face the DPC, as and when JN Hospital is merged with JNIMS.
Senior doctors are also reluctant to join JNIMS as many junior doctors have been recruited through open DPC.
Sensing deep apprehension about the possibility of posting left out doctors (those who have not been recruited in JNIMS) to far off and remote places, they hinted at the possibility of doctors resigning on a mass scale.
On February 2 this year, the Manipur Health Service Officers' Association submitted an application to the Chief Minister, appealing that Assistant Professors or Lecturers be recruited from amongst State Government employees as far as possible and to make recruitment from outside only when there are no qualified candidates.