Statesman News Service
MALDA, June 27: An inquiry into allegations against the local chief medical officer, Dr Gopal Sarkar, relating to irregularities in sanctioning licences to pathological laboratories and nursing homes, has created a ripple in the health department here.
The allegations, if proved, would be tantamount to violation of the Clinical Establishment Act, health officials said today.
It was learnt that the violation of norms was one of the 13 complaints lodged against him.
The state health department had assigned the assistant director of health services, Dr SP Basak, to investigate the matter.
The matter came to light from an anonymous letter sent to the state health minister, accusing the CMOH of violating the Act.
Dr Basak, who has reportedly completed his investigation, said before leaving for Kolkata today that he had checked the papers and documents relating to departmental procedures.
“I cannot reveal the results of the inquiry for the time being,” he said.
Officials concerned with the maintenance of departmental procedures said Dr Sarkar had signed in two places on the application form, seeking a licence for opening a clinic.
The officials also said he was not authorised to put a double signature on the licence form, without putting a counter signature.
According to departmental rules, if a pathological lab or a clinical establishment applies for a licence or for the renewal of a licence, the application form first needs to be verified and recommended by officials in the rank of assistant chief medical officer and then forwarded to the CMOH, who is to give his consent on the health department’s behalf.
Dr Basak had also investigated papers pertaining to the purchase of medicines and medical equipment over the last few years.
He had even checked papers related to the purchase of life-saving drugs and their distribution to health centres.
Reportedly, the Malda treasury officer II and other officials had objected to the passing of a bill, amounting to about Rs 1 crore a few months ago because laboratory test reports had not been submitted to the treasury along with the bill.
Despite objections being raised by the treasury officer and other officials of the civil administration, including the Malda zilla parishad, the papers revealed that a large amount of drugs had been purchased and distributed but no papers pertaining to laboratory test reports were found, in view of the patients’ safety.
District officials were allegedly forced to pass the bill, after receiving orders via telephone from higher authorities of the health and finance departments.
The matter was then laid to rest. Dr Sarkar said: “I have extended full cooperation to the investigating officer by providing him all the papers he had asked for.” #
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