MADURAI: Dissatisfied by the state ’s decision to once again hire temporary staff for the post of dialysis technicians in government hospitals across Tamil Nadu, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday directed Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare Supriya Sahu to file an affidavit explaining reasons for the decision.
A bench comprising Justices M S Ramesh and A D Maria Clete recalled that the court, while hearing a PIL petition filed by C Anand Raj, had taken note of the fact that though the hospitals in the state have been equipped with 688 dialysis machines, they only have 158 temporary dialysis technicians and some interns to manage them. Through its order dated November 25, 2024, the court had directed the state to sanction dialysis technician posts on a war footing, to which the government had responded by assuring that it would do the needful in five months.
However, a communication made by Supriya Sahu on December 6, 2024, mentioned that the state has decided to hire personnel ‘not sanctioned in government head’ to handle dialysis machines and that they would be paid through contingency funds.
Dissatisfied with the ignorance of court’s direction, the judges wondered why the government even overlooked the letter of the Director of Medical Education (DME) dated November 4, 2024, which highlighted the disadvantages of appointing temporary technicians. Noting the DME had justified the creation of 688 dialysis technician grade II posts, the judges sought an explanation from Sahu as to why the proposal was not accepted. The case was adjourned to January 30.