Dharmanagar gets Board’s nod! Secretary brings house in order at Cachar Cancer Hospital

As reported yesterday by Barak Bulletin, the Cachar Cancer Hospital Society held its board meeting today in the presence of Chairman Dr. S.K. Nandi Purkayastha and Secretary Mridul Mazumdar. Mazumdar, a veteran industrialist, urged the board members to come to a conclusion regarding the “difference of opinion” related to setting up a centre in Dharmanagar, Tripura.

As mentioned in the previous report, a few Society members took it to their ego that the letter written by the Chief Minister of Tripura was addressed to the hospital’s Director, Dr. Ravi Kannan, and not to the Society. Professor Dilip Kumar Dey was one of the most vocal opponents of the idea of setting up a centre in Dharmanagar. High-decibel debates followed between Team Professor Dey and Team Dr. Ravi Kannan. Many in the hospital believe that, upset by the level of discourse and the chain of events, Dr. Ritesh Tapkire, Deputy Director of Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, resigned earlier this month. Officially, however, sabbatical remains his cause of resignation.

Secretary Mridul Mazumdar asked Dr. Kannan to brief the Governing Body on the pros and cons. At the same time, he requested that Dr. Kannan address the concerns raised by Professor Dilip Dey and other board members in previous meetings, which included financial issues, human resource issues, and the most vocal one—what would happen to the patients here if Dr. Kannan got busy setting up the hospital.

Dr. Kannan explained the points one by one. Additionally, he urged the members to get into the nuances to understand every minute detail. He added that board members were welcome to conduct regular audits and reviews. Regarding appointments and positions, he stated that the hospital was only filling vacancies and not creating new posts, considering the financial condition.

After Dr. Kannan’s briefing, Secretary Mridul Mazumdar asked for individual opinions. The meeting stretched on; however, the Secretary requested prolonged presence as he was keen to settle the matter today itself. After all the board members spoke, Mazumdar asked the house to raise hands in support of the expansion to Dharmanagar. Three hands remained down, and one was half-raised, giving 90% support in favour of the motion. The Secretary then asked the Chairman, Dr. S.K. Nandi Purkayastha, for his views, and the veteran doctor nodded in favour of the members’ positive response. “If 90% of the members are in favour of this, then we should go ahead.”

At that juncture, Professor Dilip Kumar Dey, a senior member of the board, tendered his resignation. Dr. Kannan requested him to withdraw the resignation, highlighting Professor Dey’s significant contribution to the growth of the Society and the hospital. Other members joined Dr. Kannan, and the resignation was not accepted. “No one can ever question Dr. Dey’s honesty and dedication to Cachar Cancer Hospital Society. At times he gets carried away during his verbal duels, but that does not mean his interests are against the Society or hospital,” asserted a member of the Board who was present in the meeting today.

The most pressing concern against the development of another branch in Dharmanagar is finance. Team Dilip Dey, who are against the motion, said that loans had been taken against FDs to pay out salaries in the recent past. In such a scenario, how will the Society manage the costs there? It was explained to them that the loan was a temporary measure, as several crores of Ayushman Bharat payouts were pending at the Government’s end. “The Society has received Rs. 4 crore of Ayushman Bharat revenue, and the Rs. 70 lakh loan against FDs that was taken to disburse salaries has been closed,” informed a member of the Board.

Secretary Mridul Mazumdar also briefed the members about his interaction with Lions Club members in Tripura. Mazumdar informed that he had received assurances of financial support from the members of the Lions Club and other industrialists in the neighbouring state. Moreover, the plot will be leased to the Society for Rs. 1 per year.

The house concluded the discussion amicably, deciding in favour of setting up the hospital in Dharmanagar. The board will soon meet to discuss and finalise the standard operating procedures.