SSKM Hospital director seeks retirement after transfer order

Director of state-owned super speciality SSKM Hospital Pradip Mitra was today transferred to a new medical college following which the medical officer sought voluntary retirement terming the transfer as "an insult."
According to the transfer order that was served to him today, he was "released from his duties" at the SSKM Hospital here from today. He was to join the College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital.
But Mitra, who served the SSKM director for about seven years, described the transfer order as "demotion" and said he would rather love to retire.
"I'll not join Sagore Dutta Hospital. I've applied for voluntary retirement today itself and hope it'll be considered," he told PTI.

While SSKM Hospital, which is also the Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research, was set up in the 18th century, the College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital was established in 2011.
Stating that he did not know the reason behind this transfer, he said, "Going by the way it's done, I feel very very insulted. It cannot be a routine transfer."

"I've been into administration for a long long time and I've not done anything wrong that I'll have to face this humiliation," he added.
Asked whether he would reconsider his decision and continue as the director of SSKM if the government comes out with a solution, Mitra said,"I think the government must not have rushed into any decision. But if something of that sort happens I'll think accordingly."

According to the order, head of NRS Hospital in the city, Manju Bandyopadhyay, would replace Mitra as the new director of SSKM.
When contacted, Health Minister Chandrima Bhattacharyya described Mitra's decision not to join Sagore Dutta Hospital and take voluntary retirement as "his personal decision".
"I will not like to comment anything on this. This is entirely his (Mitra's) personal decision," she said.