Minister makes sting operations 'open secret'

He declares intention to nab corrupt health officials

In a state where health services are characterised by rampant corruption and absentee doctors, the idea of conducting sting operations to nab the offenders will yield results — only if such operations remain secretive and deceptive.

When Uttar Pradesh health minister Ahmed Hasan declared that the health department will conduct sting operations to expose corrupt practices in the department, none doubted his intention.

“The sting operation will help us ascertain the true state of affairs in the health department as well as nab corrupt elements,” said Hasan. “A handful of people are
tarnishing the image of the entire department,” he said.

But Hasan’s open declaration took the ‘sting’ out of his plan.  “The minister should not have disclosed that the health department is planning to conduct such operations,” said a senior health official.

“Secrecy and deception are the key elements of any sting operation. The declaration will come as a warning, and those involved in corrupt practices will now be on the alert,” he said.

Hasan did not stop here. He also made it clear that such operations will be conducted at places from where a large number of complaints had been received.

It appears doubtful whether the department will succeed in catching the offenders since such operations have become an open secret.

In shambles

Health services in UP are in shambles. Recently, ward boys and sweepers were found giving stitches and injections to patients at government hospitals.

UP also saw a huge scam in implementation of the National Rural Health Mission scheme.
A few months ago, auxiliary nurse midwives were found engaged in delivery of babies under candlelight as there was no power and the generator was not working at a community health centre in Barabanki.