Shortage of medical professionals at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Adilabad, is directly impacting patient services. While the State government has given administrative sanction to recruit doctors, the disgruntled faculty at RIMS are ‘impeding’ the recruitment process.

Lamenting over lack of support from the doctors, RIMS director Balaram Naik said it is unfair of doctors to prevent capacity building in these difficult and crucial times. “COVID cases are rising by the day. But, the recruitment process is vitiated due to unfounded insecurities within the faculty here,” he told The Hindu, adding that the act of doctors is against the ‘Hippocratic oath’.

Mr. Naik said around 50 doctors have responded to the recruitment notification to fill up existing posts. Now, he has to vet the applications, and conduct interviews online. “But, I am under intense pressure from the doctors’ community here and local party leaders not to go ahead with the recruitment as they believe it would have an massive impact on their jobs. We are here to serve the society, not to do politics. They are confronting me,” he said.

For instance, there are four associate professor posts for civil surgeon, but only one is filled. “That one post is stopping me from filling the rest. The existing doctors have been under Foreign Service Deputation since 2008, when the government hospital was converted into a medical college. Their term ends in five years, but with the help of local politicians, they are continuing,” he alleged.

“The doctors are saying that I don’t have authority to recruit faculty, though I got written permission from the Collector and the Director of Medical Education, a few weeks ago,” Mr. Naik said, adding that the sanctioned posts are 239, but currently he is running the hospital with 100-odd faculty.

“How can I run the hospital without staff during this pandemic situation,” he questioned.

Collector Sikta Patnaik said the concerns expressed by Director Naik will be examined within the framework of guidelines. “We will analyse from the district administration side. Our focus is on the pandemic and patients. We will make sure that whatever issues are there within the institute are resolved at the earliest,” she said.

Meanwhile, at least 10 COVID-19 positive patients managed to ‘escape’ from the RIMS on Saturday. “Three of them have come back to the hospital, and the rest are under home quarantine. We are keeping a watch on them,” Ms. Patnaik said.