At AIIMS Rajkot, a ‘leadership vacuum’: All 4 top administrative positions now vacant

The institute has been without a President for implicit a twelvemonth present aft Dr Vallabh Kathiriya resigned successful August 2023, wrong a fewer weeks of his appointment.

Dr Kathiria, a erstwhile national curate successful the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, was appointed president of AIIMS, Rajkot, connected August 2, 2023. He resigned connected August 20, 2023. At that time, helium had told The Indian Express that the Centre had “requested” him to measurement down.

More recently, the institute saw the exit of the Deputy Director (Admin), Colonel Puneet Arora, who, The Indian Express has learnt, was repatriated to the Defence Ministry, rendering the station vacant a fewer weeks ago. The station of Administrative Officer fell vacant connected October 14, aft incumbent Jaydevsinh Vala was posted elsewhere by the Gujarat government.

On October 31, aft Katoch went connected “leave”, stating, successful a connection to colleagues, that the “outcome” connected his resignation was pending, the Centre gave the further complaint of the Rajkot AIIMS to Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri, Executive Director of AIIMS, Jodhpur.

Dr Puri took carnal complaint of AIIMS Rajkot connected Gujarati New Year’s Day, November 2, erstwhile helium reached the city, said sources astatine the institution. On November 3, Dr Puri took rounds of the infirmary and hostels of AIIMS Rajkot betwixt 11am and 1.45 pm. Dr Puri did not respond to repeated requests for an interrogation from The Indian Express.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of AIIMS Rajkot, Utsav Parekh, successful an email response, confirmed that Dr Puri had taken complaint astatine the Rajkot field connected October 31.

Parekh’s message stated that the station of Deputy Director (Admin) “is being held arsenic an further complaint by Associate Professor Dr Kuldeep GB since September 4, 2024.” This is aft the repatriation of Col Arora.

The PRO further confirmed, “The station of Administrative Officer is vacant since October 14, 2024.”

Members of the Institute Body (IB) were not informed of the determination astir a week aft Dr Puri took further complaint successful Rajkot. “We person heard (about the change) but determination has been nary authoritative connection truthful far, either from the AIIMS leadership, oregon from Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY),” a subordinate of the IB said connected Wednesday, pleading anonymity.

In a connection to AIIMS Rajkot module connected Sunday nighttime connected their WhatsApp group, Dr Katoch wrote, “Dear all, conscionable for your info that I person enactment up my resignation 2 months agone owed to wellness and idiosyncratic reasons. Pending result of my resignation, I americium proceeding connected agelong leave, which has been sanctioned now. During my permission period, further complaint of AIIMS Rajkot arsenic ED has been fixed to ED Jodhpur.”

The Indian Express besides attempted to scope retired to Dr Katoch aggregate times done calls and texts, but helium remained unavailable for comment.

The Indian Express repeatedly attempted to scope retired to 2 elder officials of the PMSSY nether the Union Health ministry that oversees the functioning of each the AIIMS successful the country, Joint Secretary Ankita Mishra Bundela and Director Narendra Kumar Oza, but they remained unavailable for comment.

History of problems astatine AIIMS Rajkot

AIIMS Rajkot has been plagued with problems, not slightest being the inability to conscionable task deadlines since its inception. After the budget to acceptable the field up was allocated successful 2018-19, it was approved by the national furniture connected January 10, 2019. The archetypal batch of students was fixed admittance successful 2020. The OPD services started successful December 2021.

However, delays marred the opening of IPD (Inpatient Department) services, which were expected to footwear disconnected successful September 2022. Construction and different delays saw the timeline being extended by one-and-a-half years to February 25, 2024, erstwhile 250 beds were inaugurated by PM Modi. The full-fledged infirmary is expected to clasp 750 beds to cater to the full Saurashtra area.