Gujarat: Government of India inspection leads to doctors' transfer

It's the same situation year after year. Whenever Government of India carries out inspection at Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society (GMERS) institutes, the state transfers tutors, associate professors and even professors who are heads of department at medical colleges to fill the vacancies. Despite major public sector hospitals plagued by the lack of doctors, 37 doctors from six medical colleges were transferred on Thursday to Vadnagar, the newest of the state's eight GMERS institutes.

The institute is in its third year of operation since its inauguration in 2017.

Twelve doctors, including a professor and six assistant professors were transferred from GMERS Gotri in Vadodara, 11 doctors from GMERS Gandhinagar, including two professors and three assistant professors were transferred.

Five were transferred from GMERS Sola in Ahmedabad, four from GMERS Valsad, three from GMERS Dharpur in Patan and two from GMERS Himmatnagar.

According to officials privy to the development, there is a shortfall of about over 50 doctors-cum-teachers at GMERS Vadnagar Medical College and Hospital.

Even as the GMERS itself is in its second round of recruitment in as many years due to inordinate delays and lack of doctors willing to take up postings in peripheral areas, only about 15 positions have been filled up at Vadnagar in the latest recruitment process, informed Dr Raghavendra Dixit, CEO of GMERS.

Speaking on this problem, Dr Dixit said, "We are trying hard to solve the vacancy problem. Even as recruitment was delayed last year, this year we issued appointment orders within a month of taking the interviews. Now, we have even opened up the waiting list so that other doctors get a chance to take up these positions which selected candidates have rejected. Hopefully, we should have better results this year."

Three new GMERS Hospitals in Gujarat

Even as the state struggles to fill positions of doctors in existing medical colleges, Deputy CM and Health Minister Nitin Patel on October 12 announced the creation of three new medical colleges in Gujarat. These will be set up in Narmada, Porbandar and Navsari districts at a cost of Rs 975 crore to the state. This is 40% of the cost as the other 60% will be borne by the central government.

Surprise inspection
While the inspection system is supposed to be secret, state officials are anticipating this inspection, the first by the newly set up National Medical Council (NMC), as a new medical college is inspected for each year till the first batch of doctors passes out, informed Dr Dixit.

The transfers are highly important to the state government as the Government of India (GoI) does not permit a vacancy of more than 5 per cent in a medical college during inspection.