Worsening antecedence
- Imphal Times Editorial :: April 06 2017 -

With the initial euphoria ignited by the change of guard in the state gradually subsiding, the uncomfortable truths that have been plaguing the state and are silently yet virulently eating away at the core values of the system are beginning to rear their ugly heads once again.

The protracted and much discussed and debated issue of appointment of a regular Director for the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) despite the oft publicized bottlenecks and delays caused by the absence of a regular Director of the institute for almost three years now has turned a new chapter with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare alleged to have flouted the relevant rules of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in the process of appointing the institute’s officiating Director IAS (Manipur-2000) RK Dinesh on April 3.

The medical community is up in arms against the latest appointment as various prominent and senior medical practitioners voiced their concerns over the possibility of degrading the morale of the present and future medical practitioners since the appointment is allegedly made by flaunting the rules and regulations regarding appointments as well as the undesirable likelihood of such controversial decisions making a dangerous precedence.

The extent of damage to the administration and management of the premier medical institute of the North Eastern region can be felt in the worsening manner of functioning of almost every department with failed power backups, increasing cancellation of OPDs due to prolonged power failure, unavailability of necessary medical supplies to name a few which has created untold misery and inconvenience to the thousands of sick and infirm thronging to the hospital in the hope of having their ailments treated and cured with significantly reduced financial burden as the mushrooming private hospitals and clinics are beyond the reach of most of the people in the state.

It is a foregone conclusion that if the continuing appointment imbroglio drags on any longer, the hospital faces possible degradation and defunct.

The inexplicable inaction and neglect of the concerned authorities to the crying issue should not be let off easy. But that might just prove easier said than done.

By the looks of it, no authority which can delve into the matter and settle the issue looks the least concerned, and the sick might have to look at other options to save themselves.

No institute, organisation, party or group can hope to function properly and maintain the system in the absence of a leader to steer the whole entity, and those who have been entrusted with the authority to make the necessary changes should be the ones to understand this undeniable fact the best.

Sadly, such a vital matter has evidently been overlooked, and considerations other than effective and efficient treatment of the sick which should be the ultimate objective for which such hospitals were set up have been given precedence.

And while the dirty game of politicking have effectively pervaded the hallowed corridors of the administration of this institute, at stake are the lives of lakhs of less privileged people in need of affordable medical treatment not only in the state but in the region as a whole.