Removal of NEIGRIHMS director unanimous move: Meghalaya minister

Shillong: Meghalaya minister for health and family welfare Alexander Laloo Hek has termed the move to remove Dr DM Thappa as the director of crisis-hit North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) as a unanimous decision of the governing council of the institute.

“In the governing council of NEIGRIHMS meeting, a collective decision was made. The meeting was chaired by the Union minister of health and family welfare Harsh Vardhan. During the meet, no one had backed the director of NEIGRIHMS. Everyone voiced the same opinion that the director should resign,” said Hek.

Later in the meeting, the director of NEIGRIHMS was asked to either resign or be issued an order of resignation by the Centre.

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“Since the governing council of NEIGRIHMS, which is the highest body, has already taken a decision, so the work is done. The question for an inquiry committee does not arise at present now. We don’t interfere in the day-to-day issues of NEIGRIHMS, only and until if people suffer due to the ongoing issues in NEIGRIHMS that we will intervene,” he added.

Officials from the government of India, member of NEIGRIHMS, members outside of NEIGRIHMS were present during the meeting held on October 14, according to Hek. He also added that the director had been sacked for failing to call a single faculty meeting or an administration meeting in the past two years over the crisis in NEIGRIHMS.

Crisis arose in the institute due to stand-off between the faculty of cardiology department and the administration.