Maharashtra health department cancels deputation of Nashik civic body's medical superintendent

Nashik: State health department cancelled the deputation of Tanaji Chavan, the medical superintendent of the Nashik Municipal Corporation, and directed the urban development department to send him to his original service.

Accordingly, the health department cancelled Chavan's deputation. Chavan is now to be transferred to the regional referral hospital in Nashik city. Deputy secretary of the health department D N Kendre sent a letter in this connection to the urban development department on Tuesday.

The deputy secretary issued the letter following directives of state health minister Prakash Abitkar during the budget session of the state legislative council on March 19. MLC Manisha Kayande presented a calling attention motion about the negligence by Chavan, and NMC's assistant medical officer, Prashant Shete.

Last year, in September, a pregnant woman and her baby died at the city's private hospital. A team of the Maternal Death Research Committee, during an inspection at the hospital, found a stock of drugs used for illegal abortion there. Thereafter, the NMC health squad conducted a surprise check and found a stock of medicines related to abortions. But the NMC's medical superintendent, Chavan, and assistant medical officer, Shete, showed negligence while investigating the case.

MLC Manisha Kayande raised the issue through a calling attention motion during the budget session of the state legislative council on March 19. During his reply, the state health minister directed the transfer of both Chavan and Shete and conducted a probe into the case by the health commissionerate.