Will ‘apolitical’ Rogi Kalyan Samitis weed out corruption? Jury’s still out

According to health officials, usually a minister or other public representative of the ruling party was appointed the chairperson of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti with local councillors as its members.

For instance, Trinamool Congress’ Serampore MLA Sudipta Roy was formerly the chairperson of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Roy was known to be close to then principal Dr Sandip Ghosh, who was arrested by the CBI. Roy, who had replaced Santanu Sen, a former TMC Rajya Sabha MP, as the head of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti, is also under the CBI’s scanner and his house has been raided by central agencies multiple times recently.

“The mandate of Rogi Kalyan Samitis includes purchasing building materials related to the development of hospitals and this was the main reason the ruling party leaders vied for their control to get some commission from it,” said a senior doctor of the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMC).

Aroop Biswas, a state cabinet minister, was appointed the chairperson of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti at SSKM Hospital by replacing party MLA Madan Mitra.
The Rogi Kalyan Samitis were started under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2006 by the Central government to provide sustainable quality care with accountability and to ensure people’s participation in the administration of medical institutions.

“Internal power struggles became very common within many of these samitis. Rival factions within the TMC often fought for the control of these committees, leading to further disruptions in hospital management,” said a doctor at SSKM Hospital.

A section of doctors in the state health system believes that the recent move to dissolve the current rogi kalyan samitis is a significant step towards addressing these issues. “To ensure the RKS effectively serves patients and improves healthcare quality, reforms such as independent oversight, community involvement, clear guidelines, transparency, and a focus on patient welfare should be implemented. By implementing these reforms, the RKS can become a more effective and accountable body that contributes to the improvement of healthcare services,” said a junior doctor of RG Kar hospital on condition of anonymity.

“Rogi Kalyan Samitis in the state have turned into an extension of political parties. They are headed by ruling party representatives who took decisions on policy making, thus breeding corruption,” said Dr Manas Gumta, general secretary of the Association of Health Service Doctors.

However, questions are being raised whether apolitical rogi kalyan samitis will actually bring corruption down. A senior Health Department official said, “The government is saying the principal or superintendent of the hospital will be the head of the committee. At the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the main corruption allegation is against the then principal (Sandip Ghosh) himself. So, it can’t be said that the hospital staff members are incorruptible and the politician is always behind corruption. They need to ensure that these committees follow democratic process in their functioning and there should be more checks and balances. Such cosmetic changes will not reduce corruption.”