How can Tejaswhi suspend doctor when CM is his appointing authority, asks IMA

The Bihar chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Monday questioned the authority of deputy chief minister and health minister Tejashwi Yadav to suspend a professor-rank doctor, whose appointing authority is the chief minister, and said his suspension order was infructuous.

Dr Binod Kumar Singh, medical superintendent of Patna’s Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH) was suspended last Friday for alleged lapses in administrative management of dengue patients at the hospital, without being given an opportunity to defend himself.This followed Yadav’s surprise inspection of the medical college hospital the previous evening.

Seeking justice from Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, IMA said, “The minister should know the rules of executive business of government of Bihar. He has no power to suspend a medical professor whose appointing authority is the chief minister.”

“In haste, the health department also forgot that suspension letters cannot be signed by an officer-on-special-duty (OSD),” IMA said in a joint communique signed by its president Dr DS Singh, immediate past president Dr Ajay Kumar, senior vice president Dr Sunil Kumar and secretary Dr Ashok Kumar.

It also rebutted Yadav’s statement that the medical superintendent did not know the location of the dengue ward in the hospital. Dr Singh, the press release said, claimed to have escorted the minister to the dengue ward during his inspection last Thursday.

Meanwhile, IMA also demanded a white paper from the Bihar government on Yadav’s earlier statement that 705 government doctors were absent for as long as 12 years and drawing government money.

It is a shame for the department if some or all 705 doctors were absent for long and getting paid for the period of their absence, IMA said. “The government must come (out) with (a) white paper corroborating the minister’s statement,” the communique said.

“We have proof to show that many doctors in the list (of absentees) resigned either immediately or sometime after joining. The list contains names of doctors who joined the residency scheme (for a fixed tenure of three years as resident doctors) or teaching posts. Some doctors appointed as general duty medical officers were later selected and joined as specialist medical officers,” IMA said, adding, “The health department is famous for not acting on resignations for years. The right hand of the health department does not know what the left hand is doing.”

It also asked the health minister to furnish data on the number of different posts in the department, number of doctors working, vacancies, etc.

Earlier on Saturday, IMA said that it would support Dr Singh if he were to go to court against the government order.

Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday blasted IMA for supporting the suspended medical superintendent. “IMA is free to go wherever it wants to and to any level (for redressal of grievance),” he said.

“This government is of the people and will work for the people… All this (demand to revoke suspension) is useless and frivolous talk… There are people with different mindsets everywhere who just want to make a noise… When you do good work, such minor obstacles will come your way. I don’t take note of them,” he added.