Nitesh Sangral

Despite MCI guidelines 6/29/2017 Nitesh Sangral Early Times Report Jammu, June 29: The Government Medical College Jammu did not purchase any medical journal in the last five years, in sheer violation of the guidelines set by Medical Council of India.  It has been made mandatory by the MCI to buy new journals and regularly update teaching faculty on recent advancements taking place in the field of medical science. This lack of interest in arranging new medical journals is not only affecting the academics of this institution, but it is also indirectly affecting patient care. Principal of the GMC, Dr Sunanda Raina, admitted that no new journal has been purchased from 2012-13. She however said the J&K Medical Supplies Corporation (JKMSC) had to purchase journals, but due to unknown reasons they did not make the purchase. When asked whether medical students and teaching faculty are suffering due to absence of the journals, Dr Raina said that "everyone...

GMC fails to implement biometric attendance 6/27/2017  Nitesh Sangral   Early Times Report    JAMMU, June 27: Clouds of uncertainty are hovering over the additional MBBS seats at Government Medical College Jammu due to apathetical attitude of the administration which also failed to implement biometric attendance system despite strong note taken by a team of Medical Council of India. Moreover, GMC Jammu also failed to overcome other deficiencies pointed out by MCI. MCI team had granted temporary permission to GMC Jammu to go ahead with the present 150 seats of MBBS but at the same time it took strong note of absence of biometric attendance system in the in premier institutes of the Jammu province. Team made clear that the permission will not be given for next session, if shortcomings are not met by the time it conducts next inspection, but the administration seems least bothered to meet the criteria set by MCI. Credible Sources told Early Times that t...

In scorching heat, ACs at GMCH lying defunct 6/26/2017 Nitesh Sangral Early Times Report Jammu, June 26: The apathetic working of administration and Mechanical Wing of the government medical college and hospital can be gauged from fact that, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of premier health institute in Jammu has been functioning without any air-conditioning for the past on month, putting patients to huge inconvenience in this scorching summer heat. Administration of GMC&H Jammu claimed that the funds have been released to repair or fix the dysfunctional ACs in the hospital but so far, nothing has been done by Mechanical wing of the hospital. It is not first incident of non-serious attitude of above said wing. A senior doctor in the ICU told Early Times that one month has passed since the air conditioner went out of order and numbers of times complaints about the non-functional air-conditioning have been lodged before concerned administration and Mechanical wing....

Under pressure of pharmaceutical companies Nitesh Sangral Early Times Report  JAMMU, June 25: The Union Government's ambitious scheme--- Prime Minister's Jan Aushadhi Yojana (PMJAY)--- to provide unbranded and quality generic medicines at affordable prices to common masses, has failed to take off in Jammu and Kashmir State again due to strong nexus of some pharmaceutical companies. With an aim to make quality medicine available at affordable prices for all especially economically weaker sections of the society, then Union Government had started Jan Aushadhi scheme in 2008 through specialised outlets called Jan Aushadhi stores. In the State, Red Cross Society Jammu and Kashmir had established outlets in few hospitals but none of these stores have got a complete supply of medicines since the stores were set up and the same was defeated. Once again, the Centre Government resurrected the scheme by changing its name from Jan Aushadhi to Prime Minister's Jan Aushad...

State Govt mulls rise in doctors' retirement age 6/22/2017 Nitesh Sangral Early Times Report JAMMU, June 22: While the State Government is considering to raise the retirement age of doctors to 65 years to address the shortage of medicos in the Jammu and Kashmir, a new research suggested that patients looked after by an older doctor were more likely to die. Senior doctors themselves have been disappointed with the move of the state government and opine that it is neither beneficial to health sector nor would it address shortage of doctors in rural areas. The decision would also hit the career of the young and upcoming doctors in J&K. A new research of Harvard University published in the British Medical Journal states that those treated in a hospital by a doctor over the age of 60 had a higher chance of dying within a month than those who saw a doctor under 40. As per officials figures in the State, there were about 3800 posts of doctors under J&K Hea...

Transfers B-grade specialist doctors without compulsory approval Nitesh Sangral Early Times Report JAMMU, June 21: Directorate Health Services (DHS) Jammu has transferred three consultants and posted them in different health institutes by throwing rules and regulations to winds. The director has no powers to transfer A and B grade doctors. Moreover director has reportedly not taken the approval of commissioner secretary of Health and Medical Education Department. The government order number 201 HME of 2012 states, in serial no (D) Delegation of Power for making transfers and posting, that Gazzeted Officers above the first class gazzeted level upto the level of Deputy Director, Health Services, CMO, A or B grade specialist and equivalent posts, can be done by Minister incharge, who may delegate all power or any of power to the minister of state or administrative secretary. Need to mention here that on June 16, 2017 Director had issued an order no 552 G of 2017, in which three ...

6/11/2017 Early Times Report JAMMU, June 11: In yet another instance of bureaucrat abusing power, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Ramban allegedly manhandled a lineman of Power Development Department (PDD) of district Doda over issue of curtailment power of his kins who resident of Doda district. This story came into limelight when the victim 'Punkesh Kumar 'disclosed the ordeal that he was brutally beaten by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Ramban over the curtailment of power of his area (Shamti area of Doda district) with his shoes. "Not only ADC beaten but he also threatened me on gun point through his PSO for not to disclose the episode with anyone, if disclose then you (me) will face its consequences, "victim told to media persons. Victim also said that the incident took place on May 29 when AE received a call from the office of ADC Ramban and asked to produce Junior Engineer, Meter reader and Lineman to office of ADC. As they trio re...

Nitesh Sangral Early Times Report JAMMU, June 9: The insensitivity of doctors and administration of GMCH Jammu could be gauged from the condition of a patient who was denied treatment and her grievous wounds were left unstitched for more than ten days. It was only after some politicians intervened that the doctors are treating her now. Jyoti Devi was attacked by her husband on May 30 with a sharp edge weapon, leaving her badly injured with multiple wounds all over the body. She was brought to the GMCH, but her leg and thigh wounds were not stitched. She was shifted from one ward to another, and on Thursday she was shifted to the operation theatre. As per Principal of GMCH Dr. Sunanda Raina, the patient was admitted in the hospital on May 31 and had undergone head surgery and that treatment was being provided to her. Dr Raina admitted that Jyoti was taken to the operation theatre on Thursday only but further treatment has been postponed for some time. Contesting the statement o...

6/8/2017  Nitesh Sangral Early Times Report  JAMMU, June 8: Number of Deputy Commissioners Jammu have been changed but no one has dared to fix the rent of rented out medical shops at Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) Hospital Jammu, resulted huge loss to the hospital's exchequers. Pertinently, the matter of assessment the rent of both shops has been taken with Deputy Commissioners (Chairman District Level Committee of Rent Assessment of Shops Jammu) time to time but due to casual and non serious approach, the proposal of fixing the rent of both medical shops has been gathering dust in the DC office for more than 4 years. Here is need to mention that two medical fair shops of cooperative had established since 1940 in the premises of SMGS hospital Jammu but then medical superintendent as well as concerned authority had not fixed nor appropriate rent is being charged from the shops due to which the fair shops are getting benefits of it. "No appropriate rent was fi...

Will PHQ look into alleged case of police highhandedness? 6/6/2017 11:28:59 PM Early Times Report JAMMU, June 6: This is not the first incident of J&K police helping the influential and the accused persons instead of doing justice with the victim and genuine people. In a case of alleged highhandedness of police, a senior police officer is leaving no stone unturned to shield the accused in an assault case and force the victim's family to accept compensation from the accused, raising serious questions on police working. The senior officer is alleged to be pressurising the SHO of the concerned police station not to produce challan in the court for the last more than a month as a result of which the victim and his family are running from pillar to post to get justice but all in vain. "Under the pressure of senior officer, the SHO concerned and his then IO changed the non-bailable offence to bailable offence just to help the accused, who in an inebriated conditio...