Kolkata: Principals, not netas, will head Rogi Kalyan Samiti
Times of India | 10 September 2024
In Kolkata, state power, sports and youth affairs minister Aroop Biswas is the RKS chairperson at IPGMER-SSKM Hospital while former Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen heads the Rogi Kalyan Samiti at NRS. KOLKATA: The principals of medical colleges will now be appointed as the chairmen of Rogi Kalyan Samitis (patient welfare committee) at the respective institutions, chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced at Nabanna on Monday.
The decision comes amidst the RG Kar hospital row where the state govt has been alleged to control hospital affairs. "From now on, the college principals of respective medical colleges in the state will act as the chairmen of Rogi Kalyan Samitis," the CM said while addressing an administrative meeting at Nabanna on Monday.
Rogi Kalyan Samitis (RKSs) were introduced under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005 to improve the functioning of public health facilities, increase participation and enhance accountability.While the directors/principals of medical colleges were at the helm of these committees, state ministers and MPs replaced the principals as chairpersons of these committees when Trinamool Congress came to power.
On June 24, 2022, the health department issued a directive announcing the names of the chairmen for the patient welfare committees of 218 rural hospitals and block primary health centres in the state. Hospitals in areas with Trinamool legislators formed patient welfare committees, headed by ruling party legislators.
According to sources, the committees give approval to various infrastructural and administrative decisions of the hospitals. All purchases and patient admissions are primarily controlled by these committees. Hence, being the chairman means having significant control over a hospital. It also gives them the platform to strengthen public relations with local people.
In Kolkata, state power, sports and youth affairs minister Aroop Biswas is the RKS chairperson at IPGMER-SSKM Hospital; Sudipto Roy, the Serampore MLA, is the chairperson at RG Kar and Calcutta Medical College; MLA Swarnakamal Saha is the chairman at Calcutta National Medical College while former Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen heads the Rogi Kalyan Samiti at NRS.
"I support the CM's decision. I will act as per her instruction and will soon resign from my post. As an elected representative, I have always worked for the betterment of people without any political bias. But given the current situation, I appreciate her decision," said MLA Roy. MP Sen said: "The CM has got her absolute prerogative to take such a decision and her decision is final."