Editor,
Apropos the write-up by Mr. T J Momin who represents the State health department of Meghalaya, he has in every way and right explicitly explained the contribution of consultants and consultancy firms towards the state welfare. However, I would invite him and his team along with Gramin Healthcare to show the people of the State as to which place has Gramin really helped improve the quality of health and wellness of the rural populace.
Unfortunately the officer is talking in typical sarkari style which he doesn’t know the reality on the ground because officers are given high medical perks and allowances and other things as what I had been a privilege to do during my service with the government. There seems to be no word from Gramin officials and it shows that they have no justification except to ask someone from the State government to answer their issues which is unprofessional and also unethical.
There is a relative who had resigned and revealed a lot of financial anomalies and misuse of funds by officials of the private firm, there have been several hiccups in their delivery system, for example asking a non-medical expert with no medical knowledge to approve or do a prescription audit.
Another important point, most centers that Mr. Momin talks off do not have an optometrist leave alone lab technicians, nurses and other things which begs a question to the health officials whether they even go and inspect or are they just happy with desk jobs? An officer is first a people’s servant because as a civil servant his professionalism will be put to test when he meets people and finds solutions to their problems.
Finally, the author of that clarification did not dare answer the queries I had put forth about why consultants or private firms should be allowed to take away jobs when deserving youth have no say, and all this while the present government came up with a promise of creating five lakh jobs. Now where will these jobs come if consulting firms from outside scoop everything away.
Francis Khonglah
Ex-Indian Revenue Service
