Pune: Dr. Ajay Chandanwale, Joint Director (Medical) of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), has been appointed as the Director of the department. This decision was made by Shivaji Patankar, the Joint Secretary to the Maharashtra Government, who issued the order on Thursday.
Previously, the additional charge of the director’s post was held by Dr. Dilip Mhaisekar, the in-charge of Dr. Shankarao Chavan Government Medical College in Nanded, for the past two years. Now, Dr. Chandanwale has been entrusted with this responsibility while continuing to hold his position as the Joint Director.
Dr. Chandanwale is recognized as a dynamic and efficient officer. He was promoted to the position of Joint Director in October 2019. Prior to this, he served as the director of Sassoon Hospital. During his tenure, he made numerous decisions for the benefit of patients and focused on developing the hospital in various aspects.
One notable achievement was the development of various departments within the hospital using a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund of ₹100 crore, instead of relying solely on government funds. Dr. Chandanwale’s leadership and vision played a crucial role in transforming Sassoon Hospital.
As the new Director of DMER, Dr. Chandanwale faces several challenges. These include addressing the shortage of specialist doctors in 23 government medical colleges and hospitals across the state, implementing a system to ensure the optimal utilization of specialist doctors’ skills for the benefit of the general public, addressing issues related to the management of superintendents and medical superintendents, improving overall hospital services to match the standards of private hospitals, and strengthening research initiatives.
