SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, May 9: Health services at Dhanbad Sadar Hospital were thrown into disarray on Friday following the resignation of Dr Rajkumar Singh, the hospital’s Nodal Officer. The resignation reportedly stems from ongoing differences with Civil Surgeon (CS) Dr Chandrabhanu Pratapan.
Dr Singh has submitted his resignation letter to the Additional Chief Secretary (Health), the Director of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the Deputy Commissioner of Dhanbad, and the Civil Surgeon. In the letter, he cited an inability to carry out his responsibilities effectively due to a lack of coordination and support from senior authorities.
This marks the first time a Nodal Officer at Dhanbad Sadar Hospital has resigned over such a dispute with the Civil Surgeon.
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Lack of Support and Internal Conflict
Dr Rajkumar Singh, a resident of Dhanbad, said he had hoped to deliver quality healthcare to the district’s residents but was disheartened by the lack of cooperation from senior officials. “Without proper support, continuing in the post held no value,” he stated.
The rift between the CS and Dr Singh reportedly worsened following a recent visit by Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari, who expressed dissatisfaction with hospital facilities. Subsequently, on May 5, Dhanbad District Board Chairperson Sharda Singh also reprimanded the Civil Surgeon over the hospital’s poor condition.
Corruption Allegations Against Civil Surgeon
Sources in the district health department claimed that the Civil Surgeon consistently obstructed Dr Singh’s work, allegedly because the latter belongs to the NRHM cadre.
Efforts by Dr Singh to improve hospital operations, such as issuing show-cause notices to negligent doctors and staff, were often nullified by the Civil Surgeon, who declared such actions invalid. This continuous undermining reportedly left Dr Singh feeling humiliated and compelled to resign.
Furthermore, Dr Singh, who lacks drawing and disbursing authority, was allegedly pressured to approve bills for substandard medicines. Corruption allegations have already been levelled against the Civil Surgeon, who is due to retire soon and the matter is currently under investigation.
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Dr Rajkumar Singh was assigned responsibility for Dhanbad Sadar Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic by the then Deputy Commissioner, Umashankar Singh. His leadership during the crisis earned him recognition from Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who presented him with an award for his dedicated service.
Attempts to reach Civil Surgeon Dr Chandrabhanu Pratapan for comment were unsuccessful.
