Principals of Medical colleges of Meerut and Saharanpur have been transferred by the State Government on Thursday in view of some complaints of lack of facilities and unsatisfactory treatment to Covid 19 patients admitted there.

Principals of Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial (LLRM) Medical college, Meerut Prof (Dr) RC Gupta and Saharanpur Medical College Dr Arvind Trivedi have been relieved of their Charge as Principals of the duo medical colleges by the State Government followed by their transfer orders on Thursday. The hospitals in both the medical colleges have been treating Covid 19 patients in Meerut and Saharanpur districts.

Head of Community medicine in the LLRM Medical College Dr SK Garg has been designated as the acting principal replacing Dr Gupta who reportedly came under fire after the death of a young BJP leader and his father during treatment from Covid 19 in LLRM Medical college in Meerut.

Shortly after the death of BJP leader, an audio went viral on social media in which a Covid patient was complaining about lack of facilities and improper treatment in the medical college.  Besides, city MLA Rafeeq Ansari also complained to chief minister Yogi Adityanath about inadequate facilities that he experienced during the treatment of his uncle who passed away due to Covid 19.

Dr Gupta said that he had tried to give his best in the limited resources that were available. I am satisfied with my tenure as a Principal and also that I was available to give my contribution in fighting against the pandemic.

During the tenure of Dr Gupta initially the 80 bed Covid ward was prepared that was soon converted into a 200 bed isolation ward. The testing of the Covid 19 was also started in the Microbiology lab of the LLRM Medical College after getting a nod from the state government on behest of Dr Gupta. The microbiology lab was converted into the Covid lab where initially samples from ten districts were tested working for at least 12- 16 hours in a day. Presently samples from five districts are tested here.

The Indian Medical Assocìation of Meerut Chapter has decided to honour  Dr. R. C Gupta for his services in fighting Covid 19. IMA’s secretary Dr Anil Kumar Nausaran said that Dr Gupta has worked hard facing all odds in fighting against the pandemic. His outstanding contribution in fighting with the virus and also setting up Covid 19 testing lab in the college premises could not be ignored, Dr. Nausaran further said.

In Meerut district, so far, 12 deaths have been recorded along with 284 confirmed cases of Covid 19 and 72 of these have been discharged on recovery.

Principal of Saharanpur Medical College Dr Arvind Trivedi has also been transferred. He has been asked to join as the head of Nefrology department in LLRM College, Meerut where he was earlier posted. He has been replaced with Dr D S Martolia of Kannauj.