Assam Govt Appoints Dr. Devajit Choudhury as New GMCH Superintendent

In a significant administrative reshuffle in the state’s medical sector, the Government of Assam has relieved Dr. Abhijit Sarma of his charge as Superintendent of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). The order, issued by the Medical Education and Research Department, cited the move as being in the interest of public service.

Dr. Sarma, who also serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at GMCH, has been undergoing critical treatment for several months. He was shifted to the Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS) in Kolkata in June this year after his health deteriorated. Medical teams at RTIICS have since carried out extensive evaluations, and preparations for a transplant are underway. His illness has sparked deep concern across the medical fraternity in Assam, where he is widely respected for his leadership and service.

Following Dr. Sarma’s relief, the state government has entrusted Dr. Devajit Choudhury, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, GMCH, with the additional charge of Superintendent of GMCH. Dr. Choudhury, who was holding the position of Superintendent (in-charge) at the State Cancer Institute, GMCH, has now been relieved from that responsibility.

Meanwhile, Dr. Dwipen Khanikar, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, GMCH, has been assigned the role of Superintendent (in-charge) of the State Cancer Institute, GMCH, with effect from the date of taking over charge.

The official order was e-signed by Dr. Siddharth Singh, IAS, Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Assam, Medical Education and Research Department.

The developments come at a crucial time for GMCH, as the hospital continues to play a pivotal role in Assam’s public healthcare system. However, the institution is presently under intense public scrutiny following the tragic death of a newborn who reportedly fell from an overcrowded ICU bed, of late.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage across the state, with opposition parties lashing out at the government over what they term as gross negligence and systemic failure in one of Assam’s premier healthcare facilities.

Critics argue that the arrest of a single medical college employee amounts to little more than a scapegoating exercise, alleging that deeper loopholes and lapses within the administration are being deliberately brushed aside. Against this backdrop of public anger and growing demands for accountability, the administrative reshuffle at GMCH has acquired added significance, as the hospital’s leadership transitions during one of its most challenging moments in recent memory.

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