The Metro report on May 7 on the Mamata Banerjee government’s refusal to release doctor Arun Singh

The state health department has asked doctor Arun Singh to set up a neonatal care unit at the Sagar Dutta Medical College and Hospital in Kamarhati after denying him permission to steer a nationwide child health programme.

Singh, responsible for setting up the neonatology wing at SSKM Hospital, the apex state-run referral hospital in Bengal, had been transferred to the medical college on the northern fringe allegedly because the government perceived him to be pro-CPM.

The health department ordered a probe into allegations of financial irregularities against Singh around the time he was transferred.

The Kamarhati medical college does not have any neonatology or paediatric wing and Singh was being wasted there.

The hospital decided on a better assignment for Singh apparently after a prod from local MLA and Trinamul minister Madan Mitra. According to the plan, Singh will set up a “stabilising unit” for sick newborn babies who are referred to other medical colleges.

“I know Dr Singh for a long time. He has successfully set up the state’s first sick neo-natal care unit. So I asked the hospital authorities to utilise his expertise in a better way,” said Mitra, transport and sports minister and chairman of the hospital’s patients’ welfare committee.

When contacted, Singh said: “I have agreed to provide guidance on setting up the unit. It’s a good proposal.”

On Monday, the hospital authorities discussed the proposal with health department officials.

“We have agreed to the proposal and asked the hospital to submit a detailed plan,” said Sushanta Banerjee, the state’s director of medical education.

He clarified that there was no link between the decision to hand Singh the responsibility and the probe into the charges of financial irregularities against him.

The hospital wants to set up a four to six-bedded stabilising unit with concentrated oxygen suppliers, warmers and monitoring equipment. Since the hospital does not have a system to supply piped oxygen to each bed, the beds in the new unit would be fitted with concentrated oxygen suppliers.

The hospital authorities said the stabilising unit would be a prelude to “full-fledged” paediatric and neonatal care units.

“A building is coming up in the hospital compound. Once it’s ready we will run full-fledged paediatric and neonatal care units. But that will take about two years,” said Debashish Bhattacharya, the principal of Sagar Dutta Medical College.

The state is yet to respond to the Centre’s request to release Singh to join the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram as a senior adviser. The scheme is meant to benefit 27 crore children across the country.

Metro had on May 7 reported that the health ministry had since December last year written at least four letters to the Mamata Banerjee government, requesting that Singh be relieved of his responsibilities for two years. There have been several follow-up telephonic conversations between the ministry officials and state government officials.

Swasthya Bhavan, however, refused to release Singh on the grounds that investigations were pending against him.