Punjab: Govt Medical College Psychiatry professor resigns

Amritsar: Professor/ Director, Dr P.D. Garg of Department of Government Medical College and Swami Vivekanand De-addiction Centre, submitted his resignation from the institution on Saturday.

“I had suffered a heart attack last year. Now, the pressure of work was taking a toll on my health and therefore, I decided to submit my resignation,” he said, adding that he had no future plans yet.

Teachers at the college, however, professed that he had left due to pressures building around him alleging that he was passing on patients from this government run facility to that of his son’s private health care hub.

Professor Garg refuting the charge said that the shrinking attendance of patients at the OPD was due to the unavailability of drugs as the government had failed to make provisions for medicines from its warehouse even after repeated pleas.

Drug addicts in need of drugs were also not provided medication from the government warehouse for the Swami Vivekanand De-addiction Centre, leading to a shift of patients to the private centre, where his son happens to be employed.

The daily OPD list at the centre has shrunk from 400 to a trickling 60-70 patients. Drug addicts are now purchasing their medication from a private rehabilitation centre on the circular road.

Garg is believed to be the only professor in the department, as all other posts have been lying vacant for the past couple of years.

The department has only four assistant professors out of the five sanctioned posts while one has gone on deputation to Faridkot. The department, which also runs the Swami Vivekanand De-addiction Centre, will now be under the control of junior doctors causing hampering of departmental functioning, say doctors in the department.

Dr Tejbir Singh, Principal of the GMC, foreseeing difficulty arising in the functioning of the department said, professor Garg had not mentioned any reason for leaving and his departure would leave no senior teacher behind.

He said he would be speaking to the government about holding the Departmental Promotion Committee meeting for doctor promotions to fill up vacant posts reports the Tribune.