Indian Express 24.12.2009
Civic panel to monitor recruitment of docs, nurses
Constantly under fire over functioning of its health and medical departments, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has finally stepped forward to set up a committee to look into recruitment of doctors, nurses and medical staff. The medical and health department of the PCMC has, for years, been in the eye of a storm for alleged exchange of cash for securing jobs.
Municipal Commissioner Asheesh Sharma said the committee will be responsible for ensuring hassle-free recruitments in the medical and health departments. “As the procedure for filling up the vacant posts of doctors or nurses is lengthy, the work of the department suffers,” he said. Sharma said the committee has been tasked to ensure timely recruitment of employees.
PCMC administrative officer Sudhakar Deshmukh said the committee, headed by commissioner Sharma, started functioning last week. Medical chief Dr Nagkumar Kunachgi, PCMC medical director Dr Rajshekhar Iyer YCMH superintendent Dr Anand Jagdale are its members. Jagdale said every six months there are at least 300 posts vacant in the hospital. “Majority of the posts are that of nurses who work on six-month contract,” he said.
Civic activists and corporators, who have been demanding a comprehensive committee to look after recruitment and medical expenses, have described Sharma’s move half-hearted. They also questioned the structure of the committee which has selectors as players. “For the last four-five years, the demand for a medical committee has been persisting. We are seeking a committee that will closely monitor the medical expenditure that runs into crores,” said corporators Babu Nair and Maruti Bhapkar. Reacting to this, the commissioner said the medical purchase system of the PCMC has become transparent after the e-tendering started in April this year. “There is no room for manipulations now. E-tendering has made the medical purchase procedure fair and simple,” he said.
PCMC chief accountant Neelkanth Londhe said there is an annual budgetory provision of Rs 74 crore. “Of this, Rs 52.60 crore is for medical and health expenses while YCM hospital budget is Rs 24 crore. Till November, the medical expenses was Rs 46 crore,” he said. The PCMC runs eight hospitals and 15 dispensaries.
Nair alleged that there is no proper check on the stock. Bhapkar said the commissioner should set up a committee to carry out checks on the distribution of medicines. Both Nair and Bhapkar describe the structure of the recruitment committee as ridiculous. “Can’t we have educationists, retired officers, defence personnel or other citizens of character and integrity on the committee?,” asks Bhapkar. Nair said a comprehensive committee was much needed as Dr Kunachgi, who handles both health and medical department, would retire in less than two years.
