Cabinet decision to stop re-engaging retired officers defeated JNIMS in total disarray, benefits not reaching many
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 30 2017: Leave aside medicines which should be provided free of cost to patients, people have not been getting any benefit of the scheme launched recently under which medicines should be made available to patients at reduced prices at JNIMS, the only medical institute run by the State Government .

In spite of N Biren Government's Cabinet decision to remove all retired officers re-engaged in different departments/offices, a doctor who retired from another institute has been appointed as JNIMS Director and the same unethical act has evinced strong dissent from several quarters .

A Cabinet meeting held on April 3 this year adopted a decision to stop re-engagement of retired officers in any department/office with immediate effect .

However, another Cabinet meeting held at Churachandpur on July 14 relaxed the upper age limit of JNIMS Director from 62 to 67, and the age of superannuation was extended from 65 to 67.On July 15, JNIMS Professor (Medicine) Dr Thongam Bhimo was appointed as JNIMS Director in-charge or until a regular Director is appointed .

Incidentally, Dr Th Bhimo joined JNIMS after retiring from RIMS .

Sources informed that the age of superannuation of the Directors of most medical institutes in India is 62 years.

For AIIMS, it is 62, RIMS 60, Agartala Government Medical College 50, NEIGRIHMS 60, and PGIMER Chandigarh 60 .

Earlier, the age of superannuation of JNIMS Director was 62.One can hold the post of Director of a medical institute for five years at the most .

In spite of all these norms, the State Cabinet upped the upper age limit of JNIMS Director from 62 to 65 as well as the age of superannuation from 65 to 67 .

Moreover, the 25th JNIMS Governing Council meeting held on May 23 this year amended JNIMS Service Rules 2015 and the entry point age of Director was extended up to 70 years .

The meeting decided to refer the matter to the Medical Council of India (MCI) and table it before a Cabinet meeting.

Notably, the Chief Minister is the chairman of JNIMS Governing Council .

It is suspected that the State Cabinet has already adopted a decision on the matter without waiting for approval of MCI, said the sources .

Many of the super specialists working at JNIMS have been sitting idle on the pretext that they do not have necessary equipment and they are referring patients to private hospitals/clinics thereby denying cheaper health care services to a large number of people .

Around Rs one crore is sanctioned every year to provide medicines to indoor patients of JNIMS but very few patients get medicines free of cost .

As a rule, indoor patients should be provided medicines free of cost between 8 pm and 6 am but almost all the patients have been buying medicines from pharmacies outside the hospital .

Even though Chief Minister N Biren launched Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) on May 6 at JNIMS under which medicines of high quality should be made available to patients at cheaper prices, very few people have benefited from the scheme .

The pharmacy, also known as PMBJP Kendra, is open most of the days during office hours although it is closed on Sundays .

Neither anti-Rabies vaccine nor anti-snake venom are readily available at JNIMS .

Although the scheme guarantees 57 different diagnosis tests free of cost, some important tests like kidney function test, liver function test etc are not done at JNIMS on the pretext that the machines have gone out of order .

Many proxy staff are also working at JNIMS while its cleanliness and power and water supply facility remain highly questionable, the sources added.

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