Faced by criticism from various quarters about the ignominious manner in which Director of Health Services (DHS) K.J. Reena was transferred out all of a sudden, the government has issued a new, modified government order (GO), omitting the sentence that Dr. Reena had sought long leave during the epidemic season.

The GO issued on June 12, transferring Dr. Reena as the Director of the Regional Public Health laboratory in Ernakulam had a sentence which stated that Dr. Reena had availed herself of 15 days of leave during the epidemic period.

This had set off widespread speculation in the media that Dr. Reena was being booted out for taking leave. Dr. Reena, reacting to the news, had stated that the GO, which came out of the blue, had been a shocker and that the statement that she had taken 15 days’ leave was baseless.

She clarified that she had sought just two-and-a-half-days’ leave because of ill health. She had informed the Health Minister’s office about it and had also handed over her responsibilities to another senior official.

Dr. Reena further said that if the government was not interested in keeping her on as the DHS, she could have been given an honourable exit, rather than giving the impression that she was being forced to leave under a cloud.

Clarification

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan had clarified the very next day that Dr. Reena was not being transferred because she had taken leave but because she had written a letter to the Devaswom Commissioner about the difficulties in deploying Health Service doctors for Sabarimala duty, without consulting the government. He also said later that the DHS had failed to inform him on time about the confirmation of the Nipah test result from National Institute of Virology, which created some confusion later when he addressed a media conference.

The GO shifting out the DHS, that too hinting at a reason which was clearly baseless, had come in for sharp criticism from the Opposition. Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan had termed the transfer order as ill-timed, especially act a time when the State public health system was battling many crises.

Additional charge

The modified GO states that Dr. Reena has completed three years’ tenure as the DHS and that the selection process for the appointment of a regular DHS was being considered by the government. It further states that as the post of the DHS cannot be left vacant until regular appointment is made, given the ongoing surveillance and response activities that have to be undertaken in relation to the shigellosis outbreak and Nipah infection, Meenakshy V., Additional DHS (Family Welfare), will be entrusted the full additional charge of the DHS, pending regular arrangements.