Association flags lack of transparency in selection process of DME

The Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association (SDPGA) has raised objections to the Health department’s decision to interview 10 government medical college deans for the post of Director of Medical Education (DME), arguing that the process lacked transparency as no formal promotion panel was published.

The association urged the State government to scrap the interview process and appoint the eligible senior doctor based on the promotion panel prepared as per the established practice of assessing eligible doctors with March 15 as the cut-off date every year.

The department had introduced a system of appointing persons to senior positions such as DME, Director of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS), deans and joint directors through interviews. Usually, a promotion panel of eligible senior doctors as of March 15 every year is prepared, based on which promotions are granted.

For the post of deans and joint directors, the panel was published and appointments were made through interviews in various districts. Similarly, for the post of DMS, the panel was published and appointments were made through interviews.

Though the association was not in agreement with the practice of conducting interviews for appointments, it said they did not raise objections because the appropriate panel was published and the process was conducted transparently. However, it is shocking that, under the Health Minister’s leadership, 10 medical college deans were interviewed for the post of DME without publishing the appropriate promotion panel. It said it was not appropriate for a retired Additional Director to conduct such interviews.

SDPGA said that promotions to the posts of Professors and Associate Professors should also be taken up (as of March 15) and eligible doctors should be appointed immediately. Delaying these promotions causes eligible doctors to lose the benefits to which they are entitled.

Hospital buildings and equipment were being increased, instead of recruiting the required human resources. It was worrying that doctors, nurses and other staff were being redeployed from other places. Additional recruitments should be made in accordance with the number of patients. Any rationalisation of posts should be carried out through a proper review in line with the provisions specified in Government Order 354, the association said in a statement.