SKIMS: 3 Doctors' suspension, Director's attachment ratified

JAMMU: A day after State High Court stayed the attachment order of Director Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Prof. A G Ahangar, the Governing Body of the premier health institution of the Valley today ratified Ahangar's attachment, besides the action taken against three faculty members for indulging in private practice.
The Governing Body also directed SKIMS to institute a full-fledged inquiry in terms of the relevant rules, besides ratifying the decision of entrusting Prof. Omar Javed Shah, Head, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology with the charge of the Director and Ex Officio, Secretary to Government till further orders,
The decisions were taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti who is also chairperson of the Governing Body.
While the High Court on Thursday had stayed the attachment of Prof. Ahangar, ruling that government action did not appear to be transparent sans reason being stated and granting the government time till January 31 to file its objections, the Governing Body on Friday authorised its chairperson, Chief Minister, to order appropriate enquiry into the issues related to lack of supervision and control by Prof. Ahangar over the recent months.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said SKIMS is a premier health institute of the State and no effort to either demean its reputation or compromise the quality of service to patients would be allowed.
The Governing Body also decided to constitute a small management Committee to be set up by SKIMS which shall meet periodically to monitor the functioning of the Institute and recommend measures as would be required to improve its overall functioning.
Those who attended the meeting of the Governing Body included Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Baghat; Minister for Finance, Dr. Haseeb Drabu; Minister of State for Health & Medical Education, Asiea Naqash; Chief Secretary, B. B. Vyas; Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Rohit Kansal; Principal Secretary, Health & Medical Education, Dr. Pawan Kotwal; Prof. Omar Javed Shah, Director, SKIMS; Principals of GMC, Srinagar, Jammu and SKIMS Medical College, Srinagar; Prof. M S Khuroo, Prof. Khursheed Iqbal and Prof Altaf Ramzan(all members of the Governing Body).
Pertinently, Ahangar was attached with the General Administration Department on January 6 by the government following a sting operation against three senior faculty members- Altaf Kirmani, Mushtaq Ahmad Wani and Syed Wajid Ali- doing private practice which is banned for SKIMS doctors drawing Non Practicing Allowance.
Even after Court staying the attachment order on Thursday, the government had appointed Dr Omar Javed Shah as the interim Director of SKIMS, barely hours after the ruling.
After the fiasco, the patient-care in the tertiary institute has been hit as Resident Doctors Association is on strike against the government decision. And the Opposition has corned the government in the ongoing Assembly session over its decision.