By Arfat Khan
JAMMU: The genesis of distress calls emanating from the designated Covid wards in the premier Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu has its roots in the corridors of power where a plot is underway to topple an upright honest Principal, Dr Naseeb Chand Dhingra merely to pave way for coronation of blue eyed lady medico.
Reliable sources reveal “Dr Dhingra is under constant pressure to give green signal to certain wrong things to keep intact the interest of people who enjoying close proximity with the corridors of power”.
There are several projects worth crores underway in the GMCJ and unblemished image of Dr Dhingra have become a sore in the eyes of many in the hospital as well as state administration and private entities, avers a senior doctor of GMC.
There is pressure from certain quarters on Dr Dhingra to approve with blind eyes several tasks which left uncooked by his predecessor, said insiders.
Every proposal forward by the GMC administration to Health and Medical Education Department for smooth functioning of hospital either trashed or shelved in oblivion, added an insider in H&ME department.
Giving details sources said since long the Financial Commissioner H&ME Atall Dullo is sitting on the proposal for installation of liquid oxygen in the GMCJ for effective treatment of COVID patients.
Even to deepen the mess amid pandemic in the GMCH, the administration has burdened Dr Dhingra with additional charge of crucial HoD Surgery department in gross violation of Medical Council of India guidelines, said sources.
No attention was paid to repeated reminders for installation of liquid oxygen plant in GMC as the higher ups in secretariat are more interested in continuance with practice of purchase of dry oxygen cylinders which are not effective in efficient working of newly purchased ventilators, said a senior faculty member of GMC.
Interestingly, the new ventilators which are installed in designated wards of GMC hospital required liquid oxygen plants for its efficient working.
Covid patients require oxygen saturation supply level of 95 which can only be possible with the supply of liquid oxygen.
The new ventilators if run on old prevailing practice of dry oxygen which get augmented through use of cylinders cannot supply beyond 90, thus leading to high mortality rate in covid wards, reveals a senior doctor preferring anonymity.
Much to everybody surprise, this strategic mismatch results in repeated sudden sharp fall in required oxygen level in the ventilators.
To augment oxygen supply, the hospital administration is procuring nearly 415 cylinders on daily basis and there is a lobby which want this practice to continue for long amid pandemic, alleged sources.
Lobby comprising Dr Ratnakar Sharma, Dr Zahoor Hussain, Dr Vishal Tandon, Dr Shashi-Microbiology and Dr A.S.Bhatia in league with one AsditAddit Secretary rank officer sitting in the civil secretariat are working tirelessly for the oust of incumbent upright Principal from the GMCJ, alleged an officer of H&ME department preferring anonymity.
Even a couple of medico among this lobby who were earlier alleged to be karyakhaas of the previous Principal Dr Sunanda Raina are in direct contact with the higher ups in H&ME so as to fructify the operation topple in GMCJ, alleged sources.
Financial Commissioner Atall Dullo while replying to JKGN queries clarified “The liquid oxygen plant will be installed in 15 days”. We are here to support Principal GMC and not any lobby for the larger interest of public, he added.