Rebutting the news published in BuzzBytes newspaper regarding alleged favouritism in medical staff selection for the Haj Deputation 2024, the Health and Medical Education Department has termed the allegations as baseless and factually incorrect while vehemently denying the same.

In a communication received here today in this regard, the department has conveyed that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, sought nominations from the Health and Medical Education Department for eligible doctors and paramedics to participate in the Haj Deputation 2024. The Health and Medical Education Department promptly circulated the Ministry's communication among all Heads of Departments (HODs), emphasizing adherence to the guidelines and norms outlined in the Ministry's communication, added the document.

Subsequently, the Department received nominations from the HODs which were forwarded to the concerned Ministry within the stipulated deadline, read the communique.

The department clarified that the role of the Health and Medical Education Department is limited only to forward nominations to the concerned Ministry and the final selection process for the nominations falls under the jurisdiction of the concerned Ministry in the Government of India. Therefore, there is no scope for favouritism at the level of the Health and Medical Education Department in this process.