‘New director to be appointed in coming days’
Srinagar, June 6: Opposition National Conference Monday demanded that the government must immediately appoint new director for SKIMS.
NC leader and MLA Khanyar while speaking during Discussion and Voting of the demands for Grants for Health and Medical Education Department said that the premier health institution has been left “defunct” due to absence of the director.
“New director must be immediately appointed for smooth functioning of SKIMS. It has been left defunct, and speaks of government’s indifference with healthcare of the people,” Sagar said.
Replying to Sagar, Health and Medical Education minister Bali Bhagat said that the new director will be appointed “in coming days”.
“A high-level committee of experts has been formed to search for a new director. They are on the job and a new director will be appointed in coming days,” the minister said.
SKIMS is presently headed by Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education, Mandeep Bhandari, on interim arrangement after the superannuation of former Director Dr Showkat Zargar.
However, Bhandari’s appointment has been opposed by the faculty of SKIMS, who claimed that his appointment is against MCI rules. They wanted a faculty member to head the institute for interim arrangement.
But the faculty was opposed by non-gazetted employees of the teritiary health care who alleged that the faculty members are opposing the IAS officer’s appointment as he “would make them accountable”. (KNS)