PANAJI
In yet another swift move, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday shifted Dr Ira Almeida as Director of National Health Mission and replaced her with Dr Geeta Kakodkar as head of the Directorate of Health Services.
DHS is a crucial vertical in the health ministry and controls the primary and secondary health infrastructure in the State including all the primary health centres, community health centres, the two district hospitals and all other government sub-district hospitals including the Chicalim Cottage hospital and the TB hospital at Bhatlem.
There was no specific reason attributed to the sudden decision to change the Director of DHS.
Earlier last week, Rane's writ prevailed when he prevailed on the government to keep in abeyance a Personnel Department order appointing Dr Jai Prakash Tiwari as dean of the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H).
With the move, Rane managed to ensure the incumbent, Dr Shivanand Bandekar, continued heading the premier health institution of the State.
Bandekar who is also head of the Orthopedic department has been officiating as the dean for the last couple of years before which he previously held the position of Medical Superintendent.
Tiwari on the other hand heads the GMC's nephrology department and was selected for the dean's office via a due process through the Goa Public Service Commission (GPSC).
