9 hours ago
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The swift and unexpected mode successful which Kerala's Director of Health Services (DHS) K.J. Reena was transferred retired by the authorities is snowballing into a statement implicit the propriety arsenic good arsenic the timing of the authorities action, particularly since the State is battling assorted epidemics now.
Dr. Reena, who was transferred arsenic Director, Regional Public Health Laboratory, Ernakulam, a station that was “temporarily upgraded to the level equivalent to that of the DHS,” arsenic per the authorities bid (GO), to accommodate the DHS, said that the authorities determination had travel arsenic a shocker.
She added that if the authorities was not funny successful keeping her connected arsenic the caput of the State’s nationalist health, she could person been fixed an honourable exit considering that she had enactment successful 30 years of work with the Health department.
Dr. Reena was owed to discontinue from work successful April 2027.
The authorities bid which came retired connected Friday (June 12, 2026) simply stated that Dr. Reena had completed 3 years arsenic the DHS and that the authorities would beryllium considering the enactment process for the assignment of a regular DHS. It besides added different connection that Dr. Reena had availed 15 days’ permission during the epidemic period, mounting disconnected the speculation that she was booted retired for seeking permission astatine a clip erstwhile the nationalist wellness strategy was nether sizeable strain.
Minister's stance
Health Minister K. Muraleedharan who faced a barrage of questions connected Saturday (June 13, 2026), connected the mode successful which the authorities had removed the DHS, denied reports that she was transferred due to the fact that she had taken a permission of absence.
Mr. Muraleedharan said that the DHS was transferred connected the ground of a enactment submitted by the Principal Secretary (Health) that Dr. Reena had completed the 3 years’ word arsenic DHS and that the authorities was present escaped to widen her work oregon telephone for a enactment process to prime a caller idiosyncratic to the post. He went connected to adhd that the transportation was besides successful effect to “some actions of the DHS, which did not spell down good with the government.”
Letter to Devaswom Commissioner
He referred to a missive written by Dr. Reena connected May 20, 2026 to the Devaswom Commissioner, requesting the committee to name dedicated aesculapian unit for providing aesculapian services during the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage season, arsenic the deployment of a immense fig of authorities doctors and paramedical unit for respective days unneurotic was creating a large fiscal situation arsenic good arsenic immense quality assets situation successful nationalist hospitals.
She suggested that appointing a dedicated squad of doctors and paramedics for the pilgrimage play would beryllium a viable solution to the HR situation and disruption of services faced by the Health department.
Mr. Muraleedharan took affront that the DHS had sent specified connection without consulting the authorities and said that this had besides contributed to the government’s determination to region her from the station of the DHS.
Contentious matter
The assignment of a big of doctors and paramedical unit from the Health section during the Mandala-Makaravilakku play astatine Sabarimala has ever been a contentious substance wrong the Health section and the aesculapian fraternity. Government doctors constituent retired that anaesthetists, surgeons, and orthopaedicians each extremity up serving clip astatine Sabarimala erstwhile nationalist hospitals were struggling owed to unit shortage.
Sources astatine the Health section said that Dr. Reena’s missive was a cautiously worded 1 explaining the issues faced by the section and that obscurity successful the missive does she instrumentality the basal that the Health Services cannot supply aesculapian unit to Sabarimala.
They said that portion it was mean for each authorities to person their prime of persons to caput departments, it was antithetic that a idiosyncratic with agelong years successful the section was being forced to permission nether a cloud.
