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Is the Govt. leaving RIMS into trouble water again?

by Rinku Khumukcham
0 comment 4 minutes read

From 2014 till the month of August 2018, news reports about corruption and mismanagement plagued almost all front page newspapers published not only in the state of Manipur but also in some national newspapers. A news report about a Director of RIMS refusing to leave the post after the expiry of his tenure in 2015 was headlines in almost all newspapers in the state. From 2015 until 2018, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare could not appoint a regular director to look after the one and only premier Medical Institute in North East India. Leaving no choice, the Government of Manipur in consultation with the Central Ministry, even appointed an IAS officer as Director in charge of RIMS on deputation.
In between these 4 years, RIMS shows at least 3 in-charge directors. Reports about medical achievement were almost nil as the political fight over the post of director overshadowed.
In September 2017, a postgraduate student from RIMS had written to the Prime Minister of India stating that the institute was the most corrupt hospital in the country.
The Post-Graduate Student even mentioned that sometimes he, along with other medical practitioners, treated patients without proper investigation as the Institute does not have any facilities for investigation and because the patient party can’t afford to do tests outside the institute.
He wrote to the Prime Minister that the MRI machine installed did not work since he came to the Institute, CT scan was down for nearly a month, and there is no ICU which is just a ward named SICU, with no ventilators, no monitor, but a bed and a cupboard, Neonatal ICU was just for namesake by putting a fake sign in some forsaken rooms, for the whole hospital only one USG machine is working, there is no USG machine in the labour room which is the most important thing during delivery, above these patients have to buy all the medication including Iron and folic acid with their money, there are no defibrillators in casualty, toilet are the worst.
Besides, the PG student also wrote that funds sanctioned for the improvement of the institution are pocketed by the authority for their own good.
A visit by this reporter on July 29, 2022 show many changes at RIMS. The OPD, the x-ray machines, the MRI etc. all were workable and treated patients in need. The OPD room was no lesser than the one at AIMS Hospital New Delhi.
Today, Imphal Times brings our esteem readers about these issues that have been frequently occurring in the state of Manipur. Until 2017, the people of the nation, particularly those staying in the state of Manipur have been hearing disturbing news from inside the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).
May be because of the various unwanted happenings, the post of Director of RIMS remained vacant for years. The Ministry of Family Welfare keeps appointing in-charge directors untill April 2018. A new chapter at RIMS opened on that day. But then issues that are non-related to the treatment of patients and providing better teaching facilities for students at RIMS , started plaguing RIMS again.
Those people playing parts in the construction of the hospital infrastructures started a senseless war for the replacement of the newly appointed director Dr. A Shanta, as he was always a taught administrator besides being a doctor, in the maintenance of quality control. Those people living with the sanctioned amount of money for RIMS started spreading rumours as the Dr.A Shanta never compromised in procuring medical equipment and while appointing qualified doctors or nurses.
Scores of letters and memorandums against Dr. Shanta were sent to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry for his replacement. Source with the Imphal Times revealed even the top post in the Government of Manipur complained about Dr. A Shanta.
Now as per an official order dated 18/07/2022, by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (NEC), Dr. Shanta is repatriated prematurely and is sent back to NEIGRHMS , Shilong with effect from October 12, 2022. And unlike other Director appointed Dr. A Shanta seems no problem with the decision of the Union Health Ministry. He was more worried about completing the left out task for improvement of the hospital facilities instead of making an effort to continue as Director RIMS.
Imphal Times has no problem with the transfer and posting of government officials. Maybe someone better than Dr. Shanta replaces him. But if one recounted the series of incidents that indirectly affect the people in need of medical treatment, one question left is – why the government of Manipur is not urging the center to let Dr. A Shanta completes his term as Director RIMS.

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