SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, May 11: The Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA), the frontal organization of state government doctors and the Jharkhand State Non- Gazetted Employees Federation (JSNGEF), the frontal organization of health staff, are face-to-face on a dispute between the medical officer in charge and community health officer (CHO) of a CHC in Dhanbad.
Plea to civil surgeon for a probe
Both the state bodies have demanded the civil surgeon order a high-level probe into the dispute and proper action against the guilty person.
What is the dispute?
Baliapur Community Health Centre (CHC) medical officer-in-charge Dr Rahul Roy show-caused CHO Renu Kumari for her continuous absence at Dhangi Health Centre while the CHO has alleged that MoIC cut her incentive as she refused to pay him commission.
JHSA delegation meets CS
As the matter became serious a JHSA delegation comprising president Dr PP Shah, vice-president Dr Sharad Kumar, secretary Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh, convener Dr Shamim Akhtar, treasurer Dr Stephen Xess and former secretary Dr Bimlesh Kumar Singh came to Dhanbad from Ranchi and asked CS Dr CP Pratapan to order a fair probe and act against the false allegation.
Also Read- Jharkhand News: Security forces arrive to hold peaceful polls in Palamu
JSNGEF questions delay
On the other hand, JSNGEF general secretary Sanjut Sahay said the employees’ body stands with the CHO as the MOIC has paid her only Rs 23,000 against the due incentive of Rs 1.80 lakh.
“If her work was not satisfactory then why he held up it for one year? It seems something was wrong,” said Sahay.
A CHO besides a monthly honorarium of Rs 27,000, gets an Rs 15,000 additional incentive on the recommendation of MOIC.
In Dhanbad, a total of 54 CHOs are deployed at 8 CHCs but this is the 1st time such a scenario has appeared.
An official said the dispute cropped up at the block 20-point programme meeting. A member complained that the CHO does not live at Dhangi Health Centre. The BDO ordered a probe and Renu Kumari was found absent.
CHO found guilty
Show cause notices were issued and reportedly she did not reply. On the directive of CS, two senior doctors, Dr Sunil Kumar Sinha and Dr Manju Das probed and indicted Renu Kumari.
However, on demand of the CHO, the CS sent the 2nd team of Dr Manju Das, Dr Vikash Rana and R K Srivastava for a probe which gave a clean cheat to Renu Kumari.
MOIC Dr Rahul Kumar, when contacted, said he show-caused her on the directive of the BDO. So far as the incentive is concerned it is paid based on 15-point indicators and the block programme officer screens the performance of a CHO, not MOIC.
The JHSA will also raise the issue at the state health department.
