Chandigarh: Act against MS for Nepal assignment, Health Ministry tells PGI director

In September last year, the MS had gone to Nepal on a WHO assignment for three months, without the consent of the governing body

THE UNION Health Ministry has directed the PGIMER director to initiate “regular departmental proceedings” against Medical Superintendent (MS) Anil Kumar Gupta for disobeying the ministry orders and continuing a three-month-long assignment with the World Health Origination (WHO) in Nepal in 2014.

In September last year, the Medical Superintendent had gone to Nepal on a WHO assignment for three months. The then health minister Harsh Vardhan had expressed surprise, during the PGI governing body meet, as to how Gupta could take long leave without the consent of the governing body.

Sources in the health ministry told Chandigarh Newsline a letter had been sent to the PGI director asking him to take necessary action against the doctor. “Yes, we have received a letter from the ministry on this issue,” a senior PGI official said on Monday.

The letter, sources said, has mentioned that the medical superintendent continued to remain on the assignment in Nepal between September 15 and December 15, 2014, “in spite of the then health minister’s disapproval”.

The letter has come after the institute’s letter to the ministry in September this year regarding the “petition of Professor Gupta for reconsideration of his request to accept the WHO assignment in Nepal”.

The letter said after examining the “issue”, the ministry had decided that “regular departmental proceedings” might be initiated against Gupta in the matter.

While directing the PGI director to take further necessary action, the ministry has also said that action against Gupta may be initiated “for not adhering to the requirement of depositing part of the consultancy fees he earned during the assignment”.

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When contacted, Gupta said he had travelled to Nepal after taking permission of the director, who was the “competent authority”. “Whenever I am asked to comment, I will give an appropriate answer,” he told Chandigarh Newsline.

PGIMER Director Yogesh Chawla refused to comment. “I cannot say anything about this issue,” he said.

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