Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Tuesday said health department in Kashmir has become an industry of transfers and there is a mafia running this transfer industry.
“ There is a well-oiled nexus between this mafia and health officials in the department,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a communique.
He said the health department has been converted into a lucrative industry and money is being exchanged for transfers. Doctors get their choice postings and remain posted at their places of choice for decades.
DAK President said there is a group of doctors who are working in connivance with this mafia-official nexus. They have been given choicest postings and remain at the beck and call of this nexus. They issue press statements and hold press conferences whenever asked. One doctor among this group has been especially attached to the directorate of health services for organizing and financing these conferences.
He said these doctors are not touched and are not even considered for transfers. Even if they are transferred, the orders get revoked within no time.
“This is a huge racket that has been going on for sometime now,” he said.
Dr Nisar said the peripheral health care is in complete mess and patients suffer the consequences.
He said doctors instead of focusing on patient care seek favors for securing their places of posting. Patients end up going to tertiary care hospitals even for basic health needs.
“While a transfer policy was adopted in the interest of patient care and to address the shortage of doctors in far-flung areas, it has been shelved and is confined to papers only,” said Dr Nisar.
“As per the policy the minimum tenure of a doctor on a post shall be two years to a maximum of three years, but there are doctors who are constantly posted at one place for decades,” he said.
He added every doctor has to compulsorily serve for a minimum of two years in category “A” (very difficult) and for five years in category “B/C” (difficult) health institutions in his/her first ten years of service. However, doctors get postings to their convienience and comfort on their first appointment.
“The policy states that doctors selected in health department against RBA category shall serve in such areas for a period of no less than seven years, but these doctors have never seen their areas,” Dr Nisar said.