Centre, State should do their bit : Put RIMS back on track
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: March 25 2017 -

Something, somewhere is terribly wrong and this commentary may be taken as an open letter or an appeal to the Union Health Ministry, the State Government and the doctors of RIMS.

Tough to even imagine that an institute of repute like RIMS should remain without a Director, after the then Director-in-charge retired from service and this means that the medical institute has been remaining headless since March 1.

And the anger and frustration against this can be seen in the protest that has been staged by the employees of the medical institute in the last few days.

Certainly not the way a hospital should be treated. Maybe the Union Health Ministry needs a reminder that this is not the way in which a medical institute should be run.

And in letting RIMS function without a Director, the Union Health Ministry is indirectly conveying the message that it cares two hoots about the health of the people here, for remember RIMS is the biggest hospital in the State and hundreds visit the hospital daily to get treated.

Or is it a case of the Union Health Ministry giving two hoots whether people die here for want of medical attention ?

This is what is not expected from a Government which seems to be going full steam ahead with its Act East policy.

Lest one gets the impression that only the Centre is responsible for the mess at RIMS, let it also be known to all that the State Government too has a responsibility towards ensuring that the mess is cleaned up.

No doubt, RIMS is under the Union Health Ministry, but by this one should understand that the institute is being financed and managed by the Centre and it belongs to the State and the people.

It is this which should not be forgotten by anyone, particularly the State Government.

Not for nothing is it that the Chief Minister of the State has been made the vice president of the Board of Governors of RIMS, with the Union Health Minister as the president.

Moreover the State Health Minister is a member of the Board of Governors, while the State Health Commissioner is a member of the Executive Council of RIMS.

Now with a BJP led Government in place here, there is every reason to believe that the Centre will listen to what the State Government has to say and the Chief Minister in particular can certainly take up this point with the Centre.

Senior doctors of RIMS who have been canvassing to get the post of the Director should also come to the realisation that here is an institute to serve the public and their personal ambition should not get in the way of the Government in appointing a Director.

It may also not be a bad idea for the Chief Minister to have someone who was closely associated with RIMS as an advisor.

Such an individual can certainly go a long way in contributing his thoughts and knowledge to the Chief Minister on matters pertaining to health, particularly at RIMS.