'Visible change in a month', vows new GMCH chief Dr. Devajit Choudhury

Guwahati, Aug 23: The Assam government appointed Dr. Devajit Choudhury, Associate Professor of Surgery at Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH), as the new Superintendent (in-charge) of GMCH. He replaces Dr. Abhijit Sarma, who has been relieved of this additional charge.

The Medical Education & Research Department said Dr. Choudhury will step down as Superintendent (i/c) of the State Cancer Institute, with Dr. Dwipen Khanikar, Associate Professor of Pharmacology at GMCH, taking charge.

Taking over during a difficult time, Dr. Choudhury said his immediate priority would be to rebuild public confidence in the state’s premier hospital after the infant's death on August 18 triggered widespread outrage.

“My first duty will be to bring back the trust people have in GMCH. In the last few days, after the incident, public faith in the institution faltered. It is now our duty to restore that trust,” Dr. Choudhury said.

He assured that visible changes will be seen within a month, adding, “We have to ensure that such incidents never happen again. I will be looking into all departments and fix areas that may be lapsing. Everyone must help, you can question me after one month, but today I request cooperation.”

The new appointment comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions among doctors, nurses, and patients’ families.

The Junior Doctors’ Association of GMCH expressed their grief over the August 18 incident but appealed for patience until the inquiry concludes.

“We are extremely saddened by the incident, but the negative portrayals in the press have lowered our morale. We support an unbiased investigation and strict action against whoever is guilty, but till then, doctors should not be unfairly targeted. We are trying our best to provide quality medical care, even under immense workload,” a representative said.

Nurses at GMCH, meanwhile, wrote to the Chief Minister demanding relief for a nurse who was arrested following the incident. They argued that GMCH is severely understaffed, and the nurse in question was unfairly singled out.

“This was an unfortunate accident, not deliberate negligence. The truth is GMCH is highly understaffed, despite claims otherwise. If there were more nurses on duty, the tragedy could have been avoided,” a nurse said.

They also highlighted systemic issues, including workload imbalances and the role of doctors in decisions such as placing multiple infants in one bed.

Adding another layer of controversy, two doctors - Dr. Rishikesh Thakuria and Dr. Pooja Saikia, named in the FIR filed by the deceased infant's father - have been admitted to GMCH’s paying cabins, reportedly for psychiatric treatment.

Both are yet to face the hospital’s inquiry committee.