
The transfer of Bihar’s Principal Health Secretary Sanjay Kumar has brought tensions between him and Health Minister Mangal Pandey to the surface. Kumar was transferred to the Tourism Department and replaced by Uday Singh Kumawar on Wednesday.
The souring of relations started in April, after the secretary suspended the head of the Patna Medical College and Hospital’s microbiology department for alleged dereliction of duty in Covid testing. The health ministry had revoked the suspension.
A top Health Department source said: “The Health Minister was insisting on home district posting of doctors. Kumar did not agree with the minister following reports of doctors playing truant.”
Pandey and Kumar were unavailable for comment.
“Score of truthful and liar was not matching and hence, saheb (Pandey) changed the captain midway through match (Covid crisis)…He (the minister) was already inauspicious, he also turned out to be dishonest,” tweeted RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government has removed Nitesh Kumar Jha as Secretary of Medical Education, Medical Health and Family Welfare.