SRINAGAR: “An Right to Information (RTI) query has revealed that health department in Kashmir is brazenly violating transfer policy of doctors,” said Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) On Sunday in a communique. “That is what we have been saying,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.
The RTI was filed by DAK Spokesperson Dr Riyaz Ahmad Daga seeking information regarding postings of doctors in various hospitals.
“The norms are being blatantly flouted that is what the details of RTI reply reveal,” DAK President said.
He said information has revealed that influential doctors are given choicest postings and they remain on their places of choice for decades.
As per the reply, in Police hospital Srinagar one doctor is continuously posted in the hospital for the last 18 years.
The RTI mentions the joining date of Medical Superintendent on 08-09-2016, but the doctor is posted at the hospital since April 1998.
“We have gone for first appeal against this wrong and misleading information,”said Dr Nisar.
He said at pulwama district hospital there are doctors who are continuously posted in the hospital for more than 17 years. “RTI reveals overstaying of doctors at other hospitals too,” he added.
Dr Nisar said the health department is defying transfer policy only to give places of choice to influential doctors.
They get postings to their convenience and comfort and the voiceless suffer.
He further said the health department has been converted into a lucrative industry and patient care is a forgotten entity. Money is exchanged for transfers in the department and there is a mafia running this transfer industry.
Dr Nisar said the violation of transfer policy is the reason for non-availability of doctors in far-flung areas and patients suffer the consequences.
He said transfer policy which was adopted in the interest of patient care and to address the shortage of doctors in far-flung areas has been shelved and is confined to papers only.
“As per the policy the minimum tenure of a doctor on a post shall be two years and a maximum of three years,” said Dr Nisar.
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