SILCHAR, Aug 5 - At a time when the Government is pumping crores of money in State-run hospitals with an objective to provide the people better treatment, the casual attitude of a section of doctors is adding to the woes of the patients.
A sudden visit to the SM Dev Civil Hospital here on Wednesday morning by Deputy Commissioner S Viswanathan took the doctors by surprise. Viswanathan, accompanied by ADC (Health) Baranya Das and Joint Director of Health Services Dr SJ Das visited the hospital�s OPD and other departments. To their surprise, they found no doctors attending on the patients. Unhappy with the situation, the DC summoned Dr Ashutosh Barman, the hospital superintendent along with the attendance register of on-duty physicians.
�For the record, OPD duty begins at 8.30 am. Though I came here at 9 am, I found many patients waiting for the respective doctors. This is unpardonable. Action will be taken against those doctors who lack punctuality in their service towards the patients. Salaries of those doctors found absent for the day will be deducted.
A biometric machine will be installed in the hospital to register the attendance of the doctors from Thursday,� Viswanathan said. Interestingly, when the Deputy Commissioner was visiting the departments, only Dr Alokananda Nath was found in her chamber attending to patients. Viswanathan was quick to add that if there is shortage of medicines in the hospital, indent will be sent quickly and the shortage will be filled. He also said that the availability 108-ambulance services under the National Health Mission will be monitored.
When asked what action will be taken against the doctors charging money from the patients, the Deputy Commissioner said that proper action will be taken if anything is reported against any doctor. The Deputy Commissioner, while doing the rounds across the departments in the hospital spoke to the patients on the facilities available for them.
Dr Ashutosh Barman said that a circular was issued in the hospital urging the doctors to be regular and attend the patients on time. �It is up to the individual doctors to realise their responsibilities and perform their duties accordingly,� he said.
