Nitesh Sangral
Jammu, Sept 3:
The famous phrase ‘One step forward, two steps back’ aptly fits to successive
governments and Jammu and Kashmir Department of Health and Medical Education,
as on hand side they are going to start Post Graduation classes in a department
of GMC Jammu and other hand side as pressing shortfall of teaching faculty in
the Medical College Jammu is looming danger on budding career of medicos aspiring
for post graduation besides usual medicare at this premier hospital in Jammu
region.
Official sources told Early Times that GMC and
Hospital (GMC&H) Jammu, doesn’t conform to the guidelines of the Medical
Council of India (MCI) as majority of department are being managed by makeshift
arrangements only.
Hospital
sources said, “Various major departments of GMC Hospital Jammu including
Biochemistry, Community Medicine, Cardiology, Dermatology, ENT, Forensic
Medicine, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, General Surgery, General Medicine,
Microbiology, Paediatrics, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology and
Radio-Therapy, are running on minimal faculty and interestingly, the Medical
Education Department of the state least bother to end the shortage of faculty.
Due to lackadaisical
approach of successive governments and concerned authority, the medical
students of the hospital are worried about their career because they get less
chances for their Post Graduation courses
in major medical subjects and from their research work in various
departments of GMC Jammu due to lack of teaching faculty.
A doctor of GMC
hospital Jammu wishing anonymity told that academics and research works at the
GMC&H Jammu is suffering badly and it is affecting the quality of teaching
and training of the trainee doctors- the post graduates particularly.
He further said
that recently, the department had created 21 faculty posts for GMC Jammu and
Srinagar but it is just a drop in the ocean.
“A Govt order creates 21 posts of professors, associate professors in
GMCs in state on May 12 this year, he said, adding, “As per order issued by
Health and Medical Education Department, 11 posts of Professors and Associate
Professors in various Departments were created for GMC, Jammu while 10 posts of
Professors and Associate Professors in various departments were created in GMC,
Srinagar. “But this initiative could just be considered as an ICU patient
recovering but shifted to normal ward as yet it is serious, he satirically
said.
If recalled
here officially, GMCs facing shortage of 231 faculty members and GMC Jammu is
short of 87 posts of faculty members and 144 at GMC Srinagar.
On March 20,
2013, in reply to the question of MLA from Domana, Bharat Bhushan, the Minister
Incharge Medical Education said that 87 posts of faculty members have been
lying vacant in Government Medical College, Jammu and 144 in the Government
Medical College, Srinagar.
In GMC, Jammu,
out of sanctioned strength of 288 Professors, Associate Professors, Assistant
Professors and Lecturers, 201 are in place and 87 posts are lying vacant.
Similarly, against sanctioned strength of 399 in the Government Medical
College, Srinagar, 255 are in place and 144 posts are lying vacant.
“In addition to this, these vacancies are also
being filled up on temporary basis on academic arrangement in terms of the
provisions of SRO 384 of 2009″. And with two year many faculty members have
retired further creating a void in faculty and compounding the problems for
already ailing GMC&H Jammu which frequently hits media limelight due to
attendants and doctors clashes.
“In the absence
of faculty, the students, who are studying in the GMC Jammu, are worried about
their careers as they are deprived of quality education, “a medical student of
GMC Jammu lamented.
Meantime all
attempts to get comment from Secretary for Health and Medical Education
Department Dr M K Bhandari turned futile as he couldn’t be contacted for
comment.
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