Having started working with the orthopaedics department in 1995,the outgoing director speaks to Tanbir Dhaliwal. How has your journey at Government Medical College and Hospital,Sector 32,been? I started with the orthopaedics department in GMCH-32 in 1995. I took it to a height that was reckoned by the country. In 2006,I got the opportunity to join Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research as a professor of orthopaedics. In 2007,I was asked to apply for the post of director of GMCH-32 and was selected. Sadly,there was resentment among staff regarding my appointment. I joined as a director,in a very hostile environment. I knew that I will have to work very hard to cross all the hurdles,and today when I look back,I think I did well. What was your first step to improve the condition of the hospital? When I came,I knew that people here had the tendency to smother their juniors. So,I made the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) objective. Earlier,the report of the faculty was on the whims and the fancies of the department heads and the then director. But with this system,everything was transparent,and provided an impetus for youngsters to work hard. I nullified my role in the marking system. The ACR form was appreciated by the Medical Council of India,Medical College,Rohtak,and Baba Farid University. Are you satisfied with the kind of work you did as the director? I worked on a few agendas,including getting the status of deemed university,procurement of MRI and CT scan,cath lab (the proposal is being considered by the Chandigarh Administration),stem cell research,and synchronisation of medical facilities. However,due to shallow vision of a few faculty members,my idea of deemed university was not accepted by the them. Post graduate and paramedic courses have been initiated,Block-E of Regional Institute of Mental Health-48 is under construction,318 staff nurses were recruited on regular basis and many other projects were accomplished under my directorship. I certainly have contributed significantly towards the development of GMCH-32. A majority of the faculty members are satisfied. What were the major challenges that you faced? Lack of support from some members of the hospital. If they had supported me,instead of opposing every move,the institution could have achieved a lot more. What do you intend to do next? I still have three years at PGI. I will join there as the chief of orthopaedics. What is your advice to your successor? He is among those people who are close to me. He is a refined and sophisticated person. By virtue of his style and moderation,I am sure that he will take the institute ahead. One issue is of contractual employees,those by virtue of their less salary do not work properly. The contractors also try fleece them and the salary is less,thus creating dissatisfaction among the employees. The next challenge is to recruit 35 super-specialists in departments,including urology and endocrinology. Our recruitment rules are yet to be finalised by the Ministry of Health. After finalisation,regular super-specialists will be employed. The institute has a good future,because we tend to have a healthy competition with PGI. The Chandigarh administration and the expectations of the people will push the institute ahead.
