Only merit-based counselling for senior resident docs: CM

Kolkata: Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari has asked the state health department to put an end to non-merit based counselling of senior resident doctors. At a meeting with health dept secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam and other key officials, Adhikari has also asked the health dept to keep a tab on the quality of medicines supplied to patients at the hospitals.Sources said that in the meeting, Adhikari questioned the rationale behind posting of post graduates for senior residents across hospitals in the state. Earlier this year, senior resident posting was done bypassing the merit-based counselling process. Adhikari has asked the department to follow "merit-based counselling strictly", sources said.The doctor MLAs of BJP will meet the health secretary, director of medical education and other key officials at the Swasthya Bhavan on Monday. "The chief minister has asked to take a decision on merit-based counselling of senior residents. There had been cases when the doctors had alleged vindictive postings by the earlier state govt. There had also been allegations of undue advantage given in case of posting of senior residents," said Indranil Khan, Behala Paschim MLA. Khan and Bidhannagar MLA Slaradwat Mukherjee were present at the meeting with Adhikari on Friday.At the meeting, Adhikari also noted that some lobbies were active in influencing the posting of the senior residents and he instructed the department officials to do away with the influence of a section of doctors. Role of the ‘North Bengal Lobby' in posting of senior residents had surfaced during the R G Kar Hospital rape-and-murder case. It was alleged that a powerful, politically connected syndicate of doctors and state health officials allegedly controlled transfers, postings, and academic decisions across West Bengal's medical colleges. Adhikari asked the department to take steps against any such lobby trying to operate."There are cases where a gynecologist was sent to a hospital where there is no gynecology department. Such postings were primarily considered based on the political affiliation of the PGTs or doctors," said Khan.Adhikari has also asked the department officials to keep a tab on the quality of medicines supplied at the state-run hospitals across Bengal. Earlier last year, a woman had died and several others became critically ill at the Paschim Medinipur District Hospital after allegedly being administered expired saline. "The chief minister has categorically asked department officials to administer medicines which they feel safe to be consumed. No other medicine can be administered," said Khan.