Under the Food Safety Act Rules and Regulation all eateries including Hospital Kitchen, Hostel Kitchen, Temples, Churches  etc. wherever Food is served  to masses has to be registered even if the Food is served free of cost, this is to ensure that these places also is certified under the Food Safety Act. But why the government establishments are left out and only insisting for Private firms. By ensuring Food Safety compliance the Hospital Kitchen also needs to ensure the minimum criteria that any one has to do, so that the patients also get safe food.

Last year food poisoning at Bakultala Panchayat sweet distribution during 26th Jan 2013 was without Food Safety Registration. Now it is to be seen that at all places wherever sweet is distributed during the 26th Jan Republic Day function, the Food Safety department needs to ensure that the department is buying genuine food from licensed or registered premises and samples needs to be collected before sweets are distributed !!!!!

B. Kumar

 

Rangat

Coming to understand the facts our islands by keenly observing the situation prevailing, I am forced to realise that in our Islands the mindset of people has been altered in such a way that it is presumed, the only way of getting things done through govt. officials is ‘bribe’.

Here is one officer & her team who proactively approached public & with complaints acted upon individuals who indulged in corrupt practices, under the prevailing norms. They were duly arrested for their offence.

Yes, I’m talking about the talk of the town, Mrs Aslam Khan, IPS officer, SP (ACU). She and her team methodically tried to address by being active in the best possible means of social media and urging public to inform & complain about the corrupt practices.

The general public informed and the team cracked on corruption at various parts of our isles. Considering this in background, it was very optimistic especially at the outset when our current LG AK Singh took over the constitutional post for our isles. The post of Lt. Governor of A&N Islands is the single most powerful unelected post across country. A Lt. Governor with good intentions can change the situation of the islands, being the Administrator himself.

Soon after joining as the Lt. Governor and the Administrator, one of the first promises the LG AK Singh made was to challenge “corruption” prevailing in our isles, as quoted on August 15th at historic Netaji stadium “Will strive to promote a responsive, effective and transparent Administration to the Islanders, with a zero tolerance towards corruption” but unfortunately the action has been opposite. Within few months of taking of the Anti-corruption unit (ACU), this brave officer has been transferred to Police Training School.

Now the question that arises in my mind is, either go down challenging the “status-quo” or to overcome the “status-quo”.

Thanks Mrs Aslam Khan & team for doing your bit in challenging this status-quo. Your team has the highest sympathy from the islanders for giving your best and ultimately succumbing to the pressure from certain corners.

 

Yasir MB, UAE

Apropos the news item appeared on your esteemed News paper - Andaman Chronicle dated 5/11/13, Why the hesitation? Are the private practitioners, specialized facilities available in the islands not up to the mark?

The Lt. Governor’s Relief Fund seems to be getting low when the amount is released to needy and BPL patients on the requests made by the political leaders. Perhaps this is the reason, why the Administration had to call in for donations for the LG’s Relief Fund, inviting individuals, firms etc. There have also been instances wherein relief fund provided by the Administration to BPL patients referred to mainland’s hospitals were not sufficient, such situation arises as the patients remain unaware of the ‘extra’ cost of food and lodging that comes with the treatment. Majority of islanders continue to travel to mainland for treatment and for health care needs, despite exorbitant airfares at a time when A&N Administration and the Hon’ble Lt. Governor is putting in all efforts to establish the long pending Medical College.

Through this letter I would like to humbly request the A&N Administration to recognize the Clinics/Hospitals of A&N Islands Private Practicing Doctors Association (ANIPPDA) for various specialties/ facilities they possess. After scrutiny of private clinic/ hospitals by the concerned authorities, the private doctors of our association be empanelled for re–imbursement of treatment fees for Govt. Employees and their family members who can’t afford to go to mainland, when treatment facility is not available at Govt. hospitals.

In A&N Islands many such treatments are done at private clinic/hospitals which have good infrastructure and state-of- the-art facility. Such facilities include Andrology Lab for infertility treatment, semen analysis, intrauterine insemination (IUI) facilities, sperm cryo- preservation, special new born care unit (SNCU) & all neonatal care, pacemaker, therapeutic endoscopy & banding, colonoscopy, ureteroscopy, PCNL (Percutaneous nephrolithotomy), holter, uroflowmetry, BMD (bone mineral density test), broncoscopy, Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT), biothesiometry on foot studies, polypectomy procedures, foreign body removal etc.

The private clinics/ hospitals have also modern day facilities for blood sample collection for biochemistry and histo pathological examination. Other facilities available with the ANIPPDA members are dental implants, fixed teeth (full ceramic, metal with ceramic & Nickel Chromium), Root canal treatment, implant overdentures, orthodontic treatment (fixed braces), apicocetomy, deep seated impaction (extraction of teeth), splinting, space maintainers, root planning & curettage, post core, tooth whitening, veneers, flap surgery, habit breaking appliances, cosmetic dentistry.

In homeopathy, branded medicines too are available in private homeo pharmacy. It is high time that the A&N Administration should give a choice to patients for referral in private clinics in A&N Islands.

Dr. Dinesh

General Secretary

A & N Islands Private Practicing Doctors Association.