Shimla, Oct 15 The State Association of Medical and Dental College Teachers on Thursday expressed concern over the transfer of faculty members, departments and clinical responsibilities from Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, to the Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialities, Chamiana.
In a statement issued after a two-day general body meeting, the association urged the state government to put all proposed and pending transfers on hold, arguing that strengthening the new institution should not come at the cost of the existing healthcare network. The State Association of Medical and Dental College Teachers (SAMDCOT), which represents faculty members and specialist doctors at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), said the institution had served as the state’s premier medical college and a key centre for undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, clinical research and specialised healthcare for six decades.
The association said it supported the development of Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialities (AIMSS), Chamiana and acknowledged the importance of expanding super-speciality healthcare infrastructure. However, it maintained that the new institution should be strengthened through fresh recruitment rather than by transferring personnel from IGMC.
Association president Dr Balbir S Verma and general secretary Piyush Kapila said repeated transfers of experienced faculty members and clinicians would merely shift existing staff shortages from one campus to another. Such redeployment could affect both institutions, leaving critical gaps at IGMC while providing inadequate staffing at the new centre, they said.
The association also expressed concern that arbitrary transfers and deputations could reduce faculty strength at IGMC below the minimum requirements prescribed by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
The office-bearers said this could jeopardise the recognition of undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats, affect residency training programmes and disrupt postgraduate supervision. They also highlighted the difficulties patients face due to the geographical separation of IGMC at Lakkar Bazaar and AIMSS at Chamiana.
The association said the lack of clearly defined referral pathways could force critically ill, elderly, and rural patients to travel between the two campuses, delaying treatment, causing physical hardship, and increasing out-of-pocket expenses.
It also sought to establish a review committee comprising health department officials, hospital administrators and elected representatives of faculty associations to assess infrastructure, workload and staffing requirements at both institutions.
The association called for formal clinical protocols, transparent duty rosters, dedicated transport facilities and integrated diagnostic services to ensure smooth patient transfers between the two campuses.
(PTI News)
