Wayanad: The Health Department has suspended Wayanad Government Medical College Hospital Principal Dr V Anilkumar citing various incidents of dereliction of duty. APM Muhammed Haneesh, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare issued the suspension order on Thursday after conducting a preliminary inquiry into the allegations against the Principal from various quarters.  

The departmental action was followed by the repeated failure of  Anilkumar to impart duties and responsibilities in a serious manner, according to sources.  The suspension order cited his failure to address the complaints received through the complaints portal of the Chief Minister’s Office regarding the functioning of the Medical College. The inquiry revealed that there were serious lapses on the part of the principal in discharging his duties.

The inquiry report pointed out his delay in deputing staff to address the issues faced by the institution, slow pedalling in filling the vacancies, regular absence in District Development Council meetings and careless handling of the official e-mails.

Moreover, though the state government had allotted sufficient funds for disposing of the bio-medical waste from the hospital, the fund was not at all handed over to the hospital superintendent in time which also created much hue and cry. There were references to the principal locking up the important files regarding the inspection of the National Medical Commission.

Recently, there was a protest by CPM at the hospital against the delay caused by the principal in appointing junior doctors. Health Minister Veena George visited the hospital to listen to the complaints and other grievances. 

Though Onmanorama had tried to contact Principal V Anilkumar over his mobile phone, he was not available for comments.