Pharmacist runs CMO’s office, Nursing Orderly District Hospital in Budgam

Candidates without qualification, merit selected @ Rs 1.00 Lakh each in NRHM

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Feb 10: Now attached and subjected to administrative inquiry, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Budgam had outsourced his entire job to a Pharmacist, posted in his office for over 16 years. Medical Superintendent (MS) of District Hospital (DH) Budgam was operating through a Nursing Orderly who was last week found to have swindled over Rs 16 Lakh of NRHM funds in one go. It has now surfaced that senior officers of Health Department have manipulated appointments of staff in NRHM through their Class 4^th and Class 3^rd subordinates against cash payment of bribes ranging between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1,50,000 from each selected candidate.

Ask anybody in the district name of the CMO and the answer will be invariably “Nisar Ahmed Dada”. Dada, in fact, is a Pharmacist who has remained posted at CMO’s office for the last over 16 years. Only one CMO, namely Dr Mushtaq (now retired), had the spine to shift him to Khag Block but the favourite of influential senior officials managed to come back within a year or so. Enjoying blessings of these officers, Dada held key portfolios like Stores. For the last several years, he is operating as head of entire Administration in Health in Budgam district.

According to medical as well paramedical employees, CMO Budgam Dr Abdullah had entrusted Dada with the “powers” of transferring the staff as well as picking up candidates for the Class 4^th vacancies, notified last year, and entire NRHM staff. Rates between Rs 50,000 and 1,50,000 stood fixed for the incumbents, depending upon wages stipulated for the posts. Those selected and appointed as Female Multipurpose Workers (FMPWs) in different blocks of the district in 2010 included girls who had not even appeared in final examination of the Paramedical diploma held by State Medical Faculty.

CMO of Aga Syed Yousuf Memorial District Hospital of Budgam, Dr Nazir Ahmed Qanoongo, had appointed a class 4^th employee, namely Mudassir Hussain (Nursing Orderly) as chief operator of the NRHM. The Nursing Orderly landed in Police custody only when his fraudulent withdrawal of the huge amount of Rs 16.50 Lakh surfaced dramatically. Before he would reveal names of others involved in the scandal, his patrons managed to get him released on bail. Residents and the hospital staff are even suspecting the role of Budgam Police in “going slow” in the investigation that has every potential of making the investigators richer.

“These are just the tips of an iceberg. Actual embezzlement in NRHM and all other schemes, particularly those funded by Government of India, and the money collected on account of transfers and appointments runs into Crores”, said an assistant surgeon. He claimed that everything from maintaining records to conducting audit was “fudged and dubious”. According to another well informed source, officials remained posted at particular places in the district for even 20 years without change.

Sources insisted that scores of complaints with substantial allegations against these “old fossils” had been dispatched by officials, patients and attendants to Director of Health Services, Kashmir, Dr Mohammad Amin Wani. However, like his predecessors, Wani never took any action to overhaul the administration with removal of long-stay officials. Dada reportedly enjoys more clout in Directorate than the real CMO, Dr Abdullah.

Those selected as FMPWs in Budgam Block for NRHM in 2010 include a girl from Patwaw village who had not even appeared in final year of her diploma, conducted by State Medical Faculty, on the day of her selection. Almost all the selectees were from 2008 and 2009 batches of Imam Hussain Hospital. On the other hand, those dropped included girls who had not only passed the diploma from better ranking ATM School Srinagar over 10 years ago with high ‘A’ grade marks but had field experience of 5 to 12 years while working at private nursing homes. Some of the dropped girls had been working against Hospital Development Fund for years. Huge amounts of money have been collected from the selected candidates through notorious touts.

One particular girl of Sebdan village, who was selected as FMPW, did not join as she was simultaneously selected in Northern Railways. When she turned up in December 2010, she was not allowed to join for the “reason” that she was late by more than four months. However, when she paid an amount of Rs 20,000 she was allowed to join.

Sources said that on papers District Development Commissioner happened to be the Chairman of all committees for appointment of NRHM staff but the fact was that entire exercise was conducted in full view of public by Class 3^rd and Class 4^th officials like Dada who did everything from shortlisting to the final selection. Heads and other members of the committees are silenced with nominal share of two or three seats for their favourites. “Nothing short of a high level inquiry, consisting experts from Police, Vigilance, Crime Branch and Audit, could restore credibility of Health Department in Budgam”, a senior Block Medical Officer asserted.

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