NTPHC’s staff suspended by CMO Rajouri after B2V4 team found it locked

Shyam Sood

Rajouri, October 30: The entire staff of the New Type Public Health Center (NTPHC) at the Swari (in Kandi Health Block) in Rajouri district has been placed under suspension by Dr. Abdul Hamid Zargar, CMO as the health center was found locked at about 3 pm on October 28.
Rayaz Ahmed, senior Pharmacist, and Nasim Akhter FMPHW have been asked to report Director Health Services at Jammu, and Mukhtar Ahmed, sanitation worker to report to the CMO office in Rajouri.
It is pertinent to mention here that both the posts of Medical Officers are vacant in this health center for the last many years.
“Keeping in view the dereliction of duty, all the three officials of NTPHC, Swari are hereby relieved” CMO’s order reads.
According to CMO’s order, Dr. Iqbal Malik, Block Medical Officer (BMO) Kandi reported that a team of Back to Village Program (B2V4) visited NTPHC Swari on October 28 and found the center locked at 3.30 pm.
The order further said that the directions were already issued all employees of the health block to remain present, available in the health centers from 9 am to 5 pm during B2V4 program.
Meanwhile, in compliance with the CMO’s order, Dr. Iqbal Malik, BMO, Kandi Health Block vide his office order No. BMO/Kot/2022-23/442-448 dt 30/10/2022 has relieved all three officials & directed them to report as per directions of the CMO.
In another order issued on Sunday, Dr. Iqbal Malik, BMO has directed Masood Ahmed (Pharmacist) from the sub-center at Swara, and Vandna Pandit, Junior Staff Nurse from PHC at Trall to work at NTPHC Swari with immediate effect till further order.
Dr. Iqbal Malik, BMO, after a preliminary inquiry on the report of B2V4 team, has recommended to CMO for the suspension of the staff working in NTPHC Swari.
As per BMO’s letter, during interaction with the inhabitants of the area, B2V4 team found that the hospital had been locked since morning and the staff most of the time is also not regular in their legitimate duties.
“This reflects that the staff of NTPHC Swari has taken this (B2V4) program of the government in a very casual manner. Such lackadaisical attitude displayed by the staff of NTPHC Swari constitutes dereliction of duty & attracts action. Moreover, the staff has been given several warnings in the past to remain punctual & perform duties, including VHND/SEHAT/NCD, Vaccination camps, etc., but they have failed to comply with the repeated directions” BMO’s letter reads.