GMC Anantnag: Medicine department doctors fly solo as SRs from other departments refuse COVID duty

Principal seeks explanation, assures action

Anantnag: Senior residents of all departments except the medicine department at Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag are refusing to perform COVID duty leaving the doctors of the medicine department fuming.

Sources in the medicine department said that from the last two months, senior residents from all other departments have been refusing to perform COVID duty as per the roaster.

“COVID duty roaster is followed only by the senior and junior doctors of medicine department while SRs of other departments don’t give a damn about it. These SRs of other departments are behaving as if it is only the doctors of medicine [department] who are supposed to deal with COVID,” a source said.

Although HOD Medicine, Dr Gh Jeelani Romshoo, has many a time brought the issue into the notice of the Principal, both verbally and through written complaints, there has been no response on his part.

“Though in response to the last letter of the HOD Medicine, the GMC Principal told him that he will relieve all those doctors refusing to perform COVID duty but nothing was done,” said the source adding that the “incompetence” of the Principal has made a mess of COVID situation in the medical college.

“If the Principal is too helpless before the doctors and can not even make them perform the duty he has no right to head the health institution. Top health authorities including Commissioner Secretary Health should look into the matter,” said a doctor from the medicine department.

The lobbyism by the doctors at GMC Anantnag, a source said, has messed up things with the Principal acting as a “mute spectator.”

When contacted, GMC Principal, Dr Showkat Jeelani, admitted that many doctors are not performing COVID duty.

“I have already sought an explanation from such doctors. I am now mulling action against them. There are clear directions from the government that SRs from all departments should perform COVID duty. There is actually nothing like SR. They are supposed to perform COVID duty as medical officers,” Principal said.