GUWAHATI, Sept 18 � Non-availability of doctors in the out patients departments of hospitals has become a major cause of concern. During a surprise visit to the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury (MMC) Hospital this morning, Principal Secretary of the Health Department, Sanjeev Kumar found that as many as 12 doctors were not present on duty.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, Kumar revealed that there were allegations that patients have to wait for long hours because of failure of some doctors to reach hospital on time and today he decided to pay a surprise visit to the MMC Hospital. He said that the OPD of the hospital is supposed to start at 8 am, but when he reached the hospital around 9 am, 14 of the 28 doctors on duty were absent and a large number of patients were waiting. �We waited upto 9.30 am but the doctors who were absent, did not turn up. Later, we found that two of the doctors had applied for leave and showcause notices are being issued to the other 12,� he added.
Kumar said reports of absence of doctors from duty are also received from other hospitals of the State and the Government is planning to put a mechanism in place to ensure that all the doctors report for duty on time so that the patients do not need to wait for hours. He said the Deputy Commissioners of all the districts have been directed to ensure regular monitoring of the hospitals.
The Health Department official further said that the Government has initiated steps for ensuring that all the clauses of the Assam Health Establishment Act are strictly followed and the DCs have been asked to ensure inspection of even the private hospitals. The Kamrup (Metro) district administration has already formed a team for inspection of the hospitals, while the other districts would soon follow suit so that the provisions of the Act are strictly followed by all the hospitals, he added.
