Safdarjung Hosp in soup over designation

Days after the Safdarjung Hospital authorities were accused of appointing senior resident doctors without following the protocol, the hospital administration has now decided to appoint Dr NN Mathur as the Head of the ENT Department, even though he already holds the post of Principal at the Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC). The current ENT HOD, Dr Gul Motwani, is soon to retire.

"Dr Mathur already holds a crucial position, which requires him to give his 100 per cent. Giving him another important responsibility will not only affect his work but will also take chances away from deserving candidates. Such discrepancies are being reported from Safdarjung quite often. This leads to mistrust,"said Dr Vivek Chauksey, President of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA).

As per the Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines, Dean or Principal or Director of Medical College and Institution, who is the head of the Institute, and the Medical Superintendent, who is the head of affiliated teaching hospital, can be in charge of a unit but cannot be an HOD. They can, however, teach and practice in the department concerned.

"This is very unfortunate that doctors are holding more than one administrative post. At the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Director handed over the post of HOD to the next person in line. That is how it should be done,"said Dr Vijay Gurjar, AIIMS, RDA.

While both FORDA and AIIMS' Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) have expressed their reservations regarding the decision, Safdarjung Medical Superintendent Dr AK Rai begs to differ.

"Dr NN Mathur is not the Head of the Institution but the Head of Office. He looks after partial administration, only the academic part of it, and thus is eligible to hold this position. I, as the Medical Superintendent, head the hospital and the college. I was not very satisfied with the doctor next in line. I believe Dr Mathur would do a better job."