Modified Government Order Drops Mention of 15-Day Leave During Epidemic Period Amid Opposition Criticism
The Kerala Government has issued a modified Government Order (GO) removing a controversial reference that stated Director of Health Services (DHS) Dr K.J. Reena had availed 15 days of leave during an epidemic period. The move comes after the original transfer order triggered widespread criticism and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding her transfer.
The initial order, issued on June 12, transferred Dr K.J. Reena to the post of Director of the Regional Public Health Laboratory in Ernakulam. The order specifically mentioned that she had taken 15 days of leave during a critical epidemic period, leading to speculation that her transfer was linked to her absence from duty.
Reacting to the development, Dr Reena expressed shock over the contents of the order and questioned how her leave period was recorded as 15 days. She clarified that she had only applied for two-and-a-half days of leave and had duly informed senior government officials, including the Health Minister’s personal secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, regarding her health condition.
According to Dr Reena, she had also directly communicated with the Health Minister shortly before the transfer order was issued regarding the recent Nipah virus case reported in the state. She stated that if the government intended to replace her as DHS, it should have ensured an honourable transition rather than issuing an order that created the impression of administrative action against her.
Amid mounting controversy, Kerala Health Minister K. Muraleedharan clarified that the transfer was not related to the leave issue. He stated that the decision was based on administrative concerns, including correspondence sent by the DHS to the Devaswom Commissioner regarding challenges in deploying Health Service doctors for Sabarimala duty without prior government consultation.
The Minister also referred to delays in communication regarding confirmation of a Nipah virus test result from the National Institute of Virology (NIV), which reportedly resulted in confusion during a media briefing.
The transfer order also drew criticism from the Opposition, with Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan describing the decision as ill-timed, particularly when Kerala’s healthcare system is dealing with public health challenges, including Nipah virus surveillance and disease outbreak management.
The revised Government Order now states that Dr Reena has completed her three-year tenure as Director of Health Services and that the government is considering the process for appointing a regular DHS. The order further notes that the position cannot remain vacant due to ongoing surveillance and response activities related to the Nipah infection and shigellosis outbreak.
Until a regular appointment is made, Meenakshy V., Additional Director of Health Services (Family Welfare), has been entrusted with the full additional charge of the DHS post to ensure continuity in public health administration and disease control measures across the state.
The modification of the order is being viewed as an attempt by the Kerala Government to address concerns over the wording of the earlier notification and to clarify that the transfer was part of an administrative process rather than disciplinary action.
