Health Minister expresses ire over graft allegations on govt. medical officers, calls for immediate corrective steps

Minister expresses dissatisfaction with corruption allegations, calls for improvement in health services and accountability in district administration.

Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Y. Satya Kumar Yadav has expressed dissatisfaction and anger with regard to the allegations of corruption emerging against the offices of the District Medical Officers and asked the officials concerned to take measures to correct it.

The Minister, participating in a review meeting on the implementation of various health schemes at the district level, at the Secretariat in Velagapudi on May 13, Tuesday, said he expected better performance from a few District Medical and Health Officers (DMHOs) and District Health Services Coordinators (DCHSs), according to an official release from the department.

Reviewing the performance of the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and the Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs), the Minister applauded the composite Krishna district for being the best performer, followed by Vizianagaram and Prakasam districts. Anantapur and other Rayalaseema districts lagged behind on this index, and also when it comes to services in Government Secondary Hospitals, according to the release.

The Minister called for improvement of services in the region on these two indices.

Mr. Satya Kumar Yadav said while selections to various positions in the district administration would happen on the basis of merit, it had come to his notice that a few administrative officers were demanding bribes from candidates to give them positions.

He suggested that advertisements be published in the newspapers announcing that the selections were being done only on the basis of merit and that no one should pay any officer for a position.

He said those at the lower rung of the administration should be transferred every three years. The review of the performance of District Medical Officers should be done twice a year, so as to make them accountable, he added.