Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has implemented a significant reshuffle in its Health Department, bringing an end to a decade-long monopoly held by certain officers.
This move, led by the Municipal Commissioner and the newly appointed Health Chief, is aimed at ensuring better governance and accountability within the department.
Assistant Health Officers who had been holding the same divisions for years have now been reassigned to new roles. This reshuffle comes as part of an effort to break the monopoly that had formed within the department over the years.
Key officers, including Manisha Naik, Kalpana Balwant, Dr. Vaishali Jadhav, Dr. Sanjeev Waware, Dr. Suryakant Devkar, and Dr. Rajesh Dighe, have been assigned new responsibilities in various divisions.
Deputy Health Officer Kalpana Balwant is now responsible for the Medical Unit, general administration of the Health Department, PCPNDT and MTP Act operations, Medical College management, and approval of medical bills ranging from 1 to 3 lakhs.
Dr. Vaishali Jadhav has been given charge of the Epidemic Control Program, tasks under the District Planning Committee, Mayor's Fund, National Non-Communicable Diseases Program, and supervision of Circle Four.
Dr. Sanjeev Waware has been assigned the responsibilities of the Medicine Store, hospital improvement and modernization, health projects, Contributory Medical Assistance Scheme, Urban Poor Scheme, and supervision of Circle One.
Dr. Suryakant Devkar has been tasked with Biomedical Waste Disposal, Nursing Home Registration, Decentralized Licensing, AIDS control, and supervision of Circle Three.
Dr. Rajesh Dighe has been given charge of the Insect Control Department, CSR, cemetery and burial ground operations, bogus doctor investigation campaign, National Immunization Program, and supervision of Circle Five.
There have been complaints about certain officers signing bills themselves while serving as department heads. Additionally, some Assistant Health Officers were found to have retained their responsibilities even while on leave, without delegating them to others.
Complaints of financial irregularities involving some officers have also been reported to senior PMC officials.
