From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
 
Panaji, Aug 5: Dr Rajendra Tamba, state swine flu nodal officer, who criticized the government for ignoring swine flu programme has been transferred, state health minister said.
 
Speaking to reporters, state health minister Vishwajeet Rane said that nodal officer’s comments were not in the interest of the state and accused him of non cooperation and being unbecoming of a government servant.

Tamba had earned state government’s ire after he released a media statement claiming that the swine flu monitoring programme in the state is facing financial crunch.

Reacting to his statement, Rane said that there is no dearth of funds for the programme. “Tamba was not coordinating with the directorate of health service and was not even providing the stock situation of tamiflu tablets required for the programme,” he added.

The health minister said that state had sanctioned Rs 3 lac for the programme and there is enough fund. “Central government has also given funding for the programmes like awareness which can be utilized,” Rane said.

The health ministry said that such statements by nodal officer can portray wrong picture about Goa across the country. “Making such baseless statements carries impact on the tourism industry,” he said.

“It was not right to make such statement. It was against the interest of the state,” he added.

He said that there was sufficient money available for the programme. “The issue was the procedure that needed to be followed but he refused to coordinate with director of health services Dr Rajnanda Desai,” the minister stated.