The public spat between Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and AIIMS Director P Venugopal reached a new flashpoint on Wednesday, with the latter openly violating the authority of the institute’s governing body. The body has in turn accused the director of “insubordination and indiscipline.”

The governing body noted with disgust that the director had not been implementing its decisions. “This is highly irregular, amounting to insubordination, indiscipline and disobedience, not expected of a public servant, particularly a person holding such a high office,” said R K Dhawan, MP and a member of the AIIMS governing body.

The 11-member governing body of the AIIMS is the highest executive body to decide on its administrative affairs. The body reports to the AIIMS institute body, its apex council, to decide on the issues pertaining to it.
The institute’s reputation has been in tatters ever since the public tussle between Dr Ramadoss and Dr Venugopal broke out, resulting in several court cases. The governing body, chaired by the minister, took stock of the situation to find out how the situation could be salvaged.

Dr Venugopal did not attend the meeting, despite prior agreement. His excuse was that some of his colleagues were not allowed to be present at the meeting.

“Those AIIMS officials were not allowed since they are not governing body members. The health secretary appraised the director about the situation. But still, the director left the Nirman Bhawan (which houses the health ministry) without attending the meeting. He did not even have the courtesy to inform the body,” Dhawan stated. The institute was neither the property of the director nor that of the minister, he added.
“The doctors cannot go to the court or strike on every issue at the cost of patient service,” the MP asserted.

CONTEMPT
New Delhi, dhns: While issuing show-cause notices on a contempt petition to Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss and AIIMS Director P Venugopal, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday observed that if the order of the court had been implemented, the students would not have agitated for the certificates.
The court asked the minister and Mr Venugopal, director of AIIMS, to file their replies by October 31 on the contempt petition.

The court also sought their response giving details about the reasons for delay in complying with its March 7 order directing them to frame guidelines for the appointment of a registrar.