Ex-health secretary Keshav Desiraju's transfer - is it justified?

Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad recently spoke about how Health Secretary Keshav Desiraju was removed 11 months after his appointment for violating MCI rules. Azad blamed Desiraju of various things including failing to send MBBS doctors to rural areas.Azad alleged that instead of mentioning a 1-year rural course, he wrote 2 years which caused havoc and sparked 'unsavoury' agitation by young doctors. (Read: Is it really a good idea to send inexperienced docs to rural India?)

He claimed Desiraju had slowed down important projects and also sent a communication to MP Anu Tandon informing her that Rs 337.87 has been released for setting up a nursing school while the Health Ministry didn't agree to any such mega nursing project. Azad also talked about another incident of Desiraju's alleged incompetence where an inordinate delay in procurement of life-saving TB drugs led to the nation's health officials being heckled at an international meeting at Paris in November 2013. In essence, Azad says that Desiraju was an incompetent man who had to be moved because he was hurting the nations' healthcare system with his callousness.

Bumbling idiot or reformist revolutionary?

This however doesn't bode with image that we've been presented of Keshav Desiraju for the last 11 months during his tenure as health secretary or for the last four years that he has been working in the health ministry. In fact, the Latika Roy Foundation, a well-known NGO for social causes had written on their blog the day Keshav Desiraju was appointed health secretary: 'We got lucky yesterday. And by 'we', I mean the country. Keshav Desiraju has been appointed Health Secretary, Government of India. I've heard him described as a visionary, a person of impeccable honesty and total integrity, a man of action and a dedicated public servant. All true. Add sense of humour, sense of the absurd, political acumen, and a dazzling ability to articulate complex ideas. And don't forget courtesy and kindness. The country got lucky yesterday. We need more days like this.'

Noted economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen questioned the move whereas, Aam Aadmi Party alleged that Desiraju was moved because he opposed the return of tainted Ketan Desai to the MCI who was arrested on charges of bribery in 2010. Desiraju 'was unfairly and arbitrarily transferred' by Health and Family Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad as he (Desiraju) was against the return of Desai to the helm of the MCI, the AAP said in a statement. He said: 'It is widely believed that all decisions within the MCI are being taken by the group led by Dr Ketan Desai. There is every likelihood that we will be forced to approve and notify decisions regarding courses, new admissions etc. which have been made on the grounds of other than merit alone. This would be a very unfortunate position for the government.'

Interestingly, the MCI case was also covered on Aamir Khan's Satyamev Jayate which showed the rampant corruption going on in the country's apex medical body. After the arrest of Ketan Desai in April 2010, MCI was dissolved by the government, a Board of Governors managed the affairs of the MCI for three and half years, lawyer and AAP National Executive member Prashant Bhushan said. 'However, the MCI was again restored in early November 2013 by the government ignoring its earlier commitment in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to establish an overarching body i.e. NCHRH (National Commission for Human Resources for Health). The Ministry of Health, using the old MCI election rules of 1980, reconstituted the Council and notified 85 doctors as MCI members. 25 of these were Desai's close associates in MCI itself in the past,' Bhushan said. Even the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan demanded the Government of India 'clarify why a 'capable officer' (in the government's own words) was asked to relinquish charge in such an unseemly way.'

It's not just prominent people in society talking about Keshav Desiraju's transfer. People in the medical community who've been involved with the government describe Desiraju as a revolutionary reformer. He was part of the core group of bureaucrats who spearheaded India's anti-polio campaign which transformed a polio-endemic country into a polio-free one and was described by observers as one of the greatest healthcare feats of all time. Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO, described it by saying: 'India has shown the world that there is no such thing as impossible. This is likely the greatest lesson, and the greatest inspiration for the rest of the world.'

Ironically, the day India was declared polio-free, Desiraju was transferred to Ministry of Consumer Affairs. How paradoxical, that the man who spent several years improving and reorganizing India's health sector was relieved of his duties the day India was declared polio-free. Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, a vociferous anti-tobacco campaigner and cancer surgeon said: 'Mr Desiraju was one of the finest officers that Government of India will ever get. However, his honesty and dedication proved to be his biggest weakness as expected in world's largest democracy.'

Desiraju has also been part of the health ministry at time when massive changes have taken place in the health sector. Gutka has been banned in 24 states and 3 union territories and clinical trial regulations have become stronger. Six new AIIMS institutions have sprung up, while the Mental Health Bill was cleared by the cabinet last year. Is it only co-incidence? It's time we give it some thought.

In fact, a group of individuals wrote an open letter to Manmohan Singh asking him to reinstate Keshav Desiraju to his post. This list includes:

• Anu Aga, Member, National Advisory Council, Rajya Sabha
• Deep Joshi, Member, National Advisory Council
• Aruna Roy, Former Member of National Advisory Council
• B N Yughandhar, Member, Planning Commission (Retired)
• S K Das, Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand (Retired)
• Vibha Puri Das, Secretary, MHRD (Retired)
• Dr Ravi Chopra, Director, Peoples Science Institute
• Dunu Roy, Director, Hazards Centre
• Prashant Bhushan, Supreme Court Lawyer
• Shaheen Mistri, CEO, Teach for India
• Dr Kalpana Kannabiran, Director, Council for Social Development
• Ravi Chellam, Research Scholar
• Amba Salelkar, Director, Inclusive Planet
• Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy, Medical Director, Ummeed Child Development Centre
• Gloria Burrett, Counselor, Developmental Therapist
• Vaishnavi Jayakumar, Disability Activist
• Syamala, Director, AADI
• Dr Shubha Nagesh, Latika Roy Foundation
• Manju Singhania, Latika Roy Foundation
• Sumita Nanda, Latika Roy Foundation
• Sandeep Khanna, Latika Roy Foundation
• Mamta Govil, Latika Roy Foundation
• Savita Thapliyal, Latika Roy Foundation
• Aarti Nair, Latika Roy Foundation
• Jo Chopra, Latika Roy Foundation

Excerpt from the letter:

We, the undersigned, are writing to express our opposition to the unwarranted transfer of Shri Keshav Desiraju from his position as Health Secretary, Government of India. Keshav Desiraju is known for his honesty, integrity and administrative capabilities. There has been no credible case made to justify the move from an important, high-profile department to a lesser known one, nor were proper procedures adhered to in the process. Furthermore, the decision violates the recent Supreme Court order that serving officers not be transferred earlier than two years to 'ensure good governance.' Whenever sudden decisions are made and transparency is missing, rumours abound. This case is no exception. Allegations that Keshav Desiraju has been transferred as punishment over a principled stand regarding the Medical Council of India or about import of stents are all over the press. Distinguished groups like Medico Friends Circle and individuals like Nobel Laureate Amartaya Sen have expressed their dismay and consternation. We add our names to the long and growing list of people who are trying to make a difference in the country but are continually thwarted by political manoeuvres and vested interests. We urge you to investigate Keshav Desiraju's transfer and restore him to his former position as Secretary, Health. Click here for the original letter.

So what do you think? Do tell us!

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