Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 18 Feb: The Arunachal Pradesh Doctors’ Association (APDA) on Tuesday demanded immediate transfer of Health Commissioner Pawan Kumar Sain and Health Secretary Ira Singhal, saying that they “cannot pursue the matters related to the welfare of the government doctors of the state.
Addressing mediaper-sons at the Arunachal Press Club here, APDA members said that “the conduct of the duo creates an unhealthy environment and lack of motivation to work.”
APDA general secretary Dr Kabak Tamar said that the secretary and the commissioner should refrain from performing “authoritative governance,” but have a participatory approach towards governance.
The APDA had on 18 February written to the chief minister, demanding the resignation of the secretary and commissioner, saying that the duo have continually failed to address the doctors’ grievances over the past two years.
The APDA has announced that all government doctors would go on a “mass casual leave on 21 and 22 February in all the government hospitals and community health centresacross the state, except for emergency services,” to press its demand for the duo’s transfer.
The APDA highlighted that “the Dynamic Assurance Career Progression (DACP) Level-14 proposal was introduced for the first time during the Cabinet meeting held on 15 January, 2025, where the financial implication amounting to Rs 58,75,221 per month and Rs 7,05,02,652per year was not reflected/replied by the health commissioner during his presentation.”
“By virtue of holding the post of the health commissioner, how can he keep the entire Cabinet, including the health minister, in the dark regarding facts on financial implications with FD concurrence, AR clearance, law vetting already being accorded?” the APDA said.
Dr Kabak also informed that “there has been a delay in issuing of appointment order of new APPSC recruited general duty medic officer and transfer-posting of service doctors in the state for rational HR distribution.”
“The matter has been pending for long, although the APPSC recruited GDMO and order has been issued lately after five months, the rational posting for GDMO is still pending with the commissioner and the secretary, due to which many district hospitals and community health centres are running out of doctors and specialists and need immediate action,” Dr Kabak said.
“Health is one of the most important and vast department dealing directly with public services; so the department requires regular monitoring and review of all the programmes and schemes regularly to improve the quality of services. Hence, regular review and monitoring and evaluation is mandatory but demeaning the officers/officials for their performance and frequent show-cause notices in the slightest events are not always healthy for performing efficiently in the department,” the APDA wrote to the chief minister on Tuesday.
It said, “Despite the vacancy to fill the post of DMO and joint directors, the file has not been actively followed by the secretary and commissioner, and DPC has been turned down for more than five times, leading to the vacancy of 13 promotional post of DMO/DDHS and joint DHS since last seven months, which is depriving the right of the senior doctors,” said the APDA.
It further said that many senior doctors have already retired without getting their rightful due because of the slow process of file movement by the secretary and the commissioner.
The APDA in its representation to the CM said also that Health Secretary Singhal “openly shouts and scolds all senior doctors, including the director of health services and the director of medical education.”
“This is very disappointing and uncalled for from such a respected officer, and almost every doctor does not want to meet her because of the unhealthy situations she creates,” the APDA said.
It further accused the health secretary of shouting at the doctors over the issues of DACP Level-14 and the long-pending Arunachal Pradesh Health Services (APHS) Cadre Amendment Rule, 2000.
On being contacted, Singhal denied the allegations levelled against her. She refused to offer a clear-cut answer and sought to know on which occasions she shouted at the doctors.
“I am not aware of threatening or making a negative remark on the Arunachal Pradesh Health Services Cadre Amendment Rule, 2000,” she said, and sought opinions and suggestions from all stakeholders, “so that no one has any difficulties.”
Singhal also asked the association to “show the show-cause notices issued to them by me.”
Regarding the issue of DACP Level-1, Singhal said that she was not holding the position of the secretary during that time.
