Ludhiana: Mass exodus at Dayanand Medical College & Hospital

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, February 29

In what appears to be a mass exodus, the principal among nine senior faculty members have left the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) here after the prestigious private institution decided not to allow private practice by its staffers.

These nine exits have been reported within less than two months after the 1,326-bed, including 800 teaching beds, tertiary care teaching hospital management took the decision against private practice on January 1.

It has led to a massive discontent among the faculty while senior functionaries of the managing committee of one of the North India’s leading medical institution established way back in the shape of a small medical school here in 1934 were also learnt to be unhappy with the decision, which is likely to hit almost all clinical departments and in turn hamper the patient care and services.

The resignations have left a majority of the nine super-specialty departments being run at the DMCH headless or without the senior-most experts.

While DMCH principal Dr Sandeep Puri was relieved from service on Thursday, Dr Dinesh Gupta, who was Head of Medicine, Dr Ranjiv Mahajan, Head of Psychiatry, Dr Sumeet Chopra, Head of Eye, Dr Rajinder Bansal, Professor of Neurology, Dr Vikas, DM Rheumatology, Dr Saurabh, DM Endocrinology, Dr Sahil Chopra, Professor of Eye, and Dr Amit Berry, Professor of Medicine, had already left the institute in the past few days.

Dr Puri was serving as the DMCH principal since December 1, 2014. He was on the faculty of the DMCH since 1992. Before becoming the principal, he had served at various positions, including Professor and Head of Medicine for nine years, Medical Superintendent for 14 years and Vice-Principal for one year at the hospital.

Since the new policy decision prohibits the faculty from doing private practice, Dr Puri would now pursue his clinical work individually after leaving the institute.

Dr Puri had joined as a medical student in 1982 and rose to become the principal of the DMCH. He was the first alumnus of the DMC to hold the post of principal for a period of 9 years and 3 months. He graduated in 1987 as the best all-round candidate of Dayanand Medical College and did his MD-Medicine in 1991 from DMC. He was recognised by students with the “Best Teacher” award. During his tenure as the principal, he achieved several landmarks.

Dr Puri had made significant administrative contributions towards improving patient care, upgrading medical education standards and promoting research activities at the DMCH.

He has held various positions in the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. He was awarded the prestigious Rabindranath Tagore Oration at APICON 2017, fellowships by Indian College of Physicians, Indian Academy of Clinical Medicine, International Medical Science Academy and Membership of National Academy of Medical Sciences. He has special interest in rheumatology.

He has been closely associated with organising several major events such as national conferences, principal investigator in a number of international clinical trials, supervising thesis and research work of postgraduate students, publishing scientific papers in national and international journals and delivering lectures or chairing sessions in national and international conferences.

He was an examiner of Internal Medicine at five universities. An enthusiast of cultural activities, sports and youth affairs, he has been associated with these activities as an administrator. He has a desire to stimulate public for blood donation. He himself donated blood for 93 times.

Reacting on the latest development, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, who is Vice-President of the DMCH managing society, said Dr Puri was a renowned doctor who had an accomplished career as an academician and administrator. Dr Puri earned name and fame not only in Ludhiana, but also in North India. He wished Dr Puri all the best for success in his future endeavours. He expressed that the contribution of Dr Puri in the overall success and growth of the DMCH could never be forgotten.

Similarly, Bipin Gupta, Secretary, DMCH managing society, said Dr Puri was a wonderful doctor who had rendered appreciable services to the institution over the years. Dr Puri was leaving DMCH in a “good faith”.

North’s best medical college

The DMC has figured in the top 20 medical colleges of the country and the best private medical college in North India under Dr Puri’s tenure. MBBS seats were enhanced to 100 and 37 seats were added to various postgraduate and DM courses. Super Specialisation in Nephrology (2019) and Critical Care Medicine (2019) were started. NABH accreditation in 2016 was another highlight of the institution. The new ultramodern medical college building (2015), an impressive Cancer Care Centre (2017) and the DMC College of Nursing (2017) were also commissioned during his tenure.

From a school to college, hospital

Having an imposing complex of modern buildings and equipped with all kinds of modern facilities for providing excellent care to patients and training to undergraduate and postgraduate students, DMCH’s clinical departments, along with diagnostic laboratories, provide round-the-clock services on the campus.

A retired captain, Dr Banarsi Dass Soni, had started Arya Medical School from a rented accommodation here in 1934. In 1936, the management of the medical school was handed over to Arya Samaj before shifting it to its own building in 1937.

The institution was recognised for Licentiate of the Punjab State Medical Faculty (LSMF) in 1938. In 1964, Arya Medical School was made a full-fledged MBBS College by the name of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital.

Duly recognised by the Medical Council of India for MBBS and several specialty and super-specialty courses and affiliated to the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, as many as 100 students are admitted to the MBBS course every year through the NEET.

Dr Puri held various positions

Dr Sandeep Puri was serving as the DMCH principal since December 1, 2014. He was on the faculty of the DMCH since 1992. Before becoming the principal, he had served at various positions, including Professor and Head of Medicine for nine years, Medical Superintendent for 14 years and Vice-Principal for one year at the hospital.

Most departments headless

The resignations have left a majority of the nine super-specialty departments being run at the DMCH headless or without senior-most experts.

Those who left the college

• Dr Sandeep Puri, Principal
• Dr Dinesh Gupta, Head of Medicine
• Dr Ranjiv Mahajan, Head of Psychiatry
• Dr Sumeet Chopra, Head of Eye
• Dr Rajinder Bansal, Professor of Neurology
• Dr Vikas, DM Rheumatology
• Dr Saurabh, DM Endocrinology
• Dr Sahil Chopra, Professor of Eye
• Dr Amit Berry, Professor of Medicine

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