Hyderabad: Denying that the deaths in city in December were swine flu related cost director in-charge of health Dr Sambasiv Rao his job on Thur-sday as he was removed from the additional charge.

He will, however, continue to remain the district medical and health officer of Warangal district. While officially this reason has not been stated for his removal, it was being rumoured for long that he had failed to tackle the situation.

The other reasons for his removal being stated are appointment of doctors and para-medical staff on contract basis. The director of health was the choice of Deputy Chief Minister Dr T. Rajaiah and the decision has come as a jolt for him.

Another jolt from Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s office was reversing a January 13 order, appointing Dr B. Raju, associate professor of Surgery in Osmania General Hospital, as the registrar of Kaloji Health University of Sciences.

Dr Raju had joined on January 17 at Warangal and on January 19 the order was reversed. A shocked Dr Raju returned to Hyderabad to learn that an IAS officer might be appointed as the registrar.

The Telangana Government Doctors Association, meanwhile, has come to the defence of Dr Raju and has demanded the appointment of a doctor as the registrar. Dr M. Viresham, president of the association said, “We do not want IAS officers to occupy technical posts. It leads to delays. The IAS officers have to consult a doctor for all exams, semester schedules and other scientific works of the University. When a doctor is required why not allow a doctor to be the registrar?”

The reversal of the appointment has hurt doctors who complain that they are not being given their due. Deputy Chief Minister Dr Rajaiah, who has been looking into these appointments, is also apparently upset by the cancellation of the orders.