AIIMS has been a political battleground for long. Despite
being the premier hospital of the country, nobody dares to intervene. The
current Director, Dr MC Mishra, is retiring on January 30, 2017, and is
reportedly lobbying for an extension. Meanwhile, the search for a new director
for AIIMS has begun. The names in the forefront are Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s
relative DrRasik Vajpayee, DrRandeepGuleria, DrJagdish Prasad and Dr AB Dey. Dr
Mishra is, moreover, under a cloud these days as he has appointed his close
aide Dr Umesh Kapil as Head of Gastroenterology. Dr Kapil is known as a Human
Nutrition expert. Notably, the required eligibility for the position is MD
(Medicine) and DM in the same field. Sources disclosed that Dr Kapil does not
have these requisites. Sources claim that Dr Kapil actually comes in the list
of ineffective doctors. This is why in 1997, the then head of the department,
Dr Ramesh Tondon, had recommended his removal. What has shocked the AIIMS
fraternity is that in the history of the institute, this is the first time that
a Head of Department was appointed without the Director’s signature on the
order, which is a must as per the AIIMS Charter. Otherwise in general cases,
any letter of appointment or promotion comes from the faculty cell, based on
which the Director issues his order. Sources reveal that the entire sequence of
events engineered by Dr Mishra was to sideline DrAnoop Sarai, as the latter is
reportedly the best qualified and experienced person for the post.
Ironically, on the one hand, there is a shortage of doctors in AIIMS and on the
other, experienced doctors are being dispatched for administrative duties. And
a private practitioner has been made a member in the selection body. It’s to be
seen in the above circumstances, whether Dr Mishra is given an extension or a
new competent and experienced doctor is appointed as Director, AIIMS.
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