Bombay HC expresses displeasure on the OSD-SSH Nagpur appointment

Nagpur: The Principal Secretary, Medical Education and Research, Rajgopal Deora rendered an unconditional apology to the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court for not complying to the court's order to appoint the senior most professor at the Officer on Special duty at the Super Speciality Hospital. The apology came in the face of the court's reprimand as to why a contempt should not be served on him for disobedience.

Dr Madhukar Prachand has been appointed as the OSD at the Super Speciality Hospital (SSH).

The appointment had been made after a PIL was filed by Ch. Sharma and others regarding lack of facilities in Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals (GMCHs) across Vidharbha & the department coming under a vociferous attack by the bench. A division bench comprising Justice Bhushan Gavai and justice Atul Chandurkar while discharging Mr. Deora of contempt, adjourned the hearing for after the summer vacations.

Earlier, the judges expressed displeasure over the State Medical Education and Drug Department's decision to appoint Dr Mukund Deshpande, as OSD- SSH,despite the fact that he was already heading Cardiology and was overburdened, due to his preoccupation with other tasks.

The Secretary conceded that Mr. Deshpande and other seniors were reluctant to take up the top job and therefore, the government decided in favour of Dr Prachand;a since he was not looking after charge of any department. The new incumbent, earlier worked as Acting Dean of Indira Gandhi Government Medical College (IGGMC) and was also the ex-Head, Anatomy Department, GMC.

Government pleader Bharti Dangre had earlier informed the court that the IGGMC's regular dean would be appointed before June. She told the court that that the government would be submitting an undertaking for removal of all discrepancies pointed out during inspection,to the Medical Council of India (MCI). The undertaking would be handed over to the MCI before its meeting, so that no reduction of MBBS seats, are made by the apex body. A problem which has persisted at the IGGMC, over a period of time.

Citing TOI's report, amicus curiae, Anup Gilda brought to the fore that the MCI had pointed out a series of deficiencies in IGGMC, during inspection in October last year.

The apex body team found deficiencies of 10.26% in faculty and number of beds. He also mentioned the failure on the part of the government to fill up posts of three associate professors (APs) and six lecturers.

The MCI during the inspection had also pointed at shortage of air conditioners and computers with internet facility in the IGGMC's library, he further added.