To fight problems of absent personnel at health centers and to ensure that doctors arrive on time for duty every day, health department has come up with a unique idea where doctors on duty at 15 community health centers (CHC) and 43 public health centres (PHC) have to send selfies with patients to mark their attendance.
As per the reports, doctor’s salary will be deducted and disciplinary action will be taken against him in case he/she fails to send a selfie on any day.
There has been repeated complaints of doctors at CHCs and PHCs taking unreported leaves and arriving late for duty. In fact, on several occasions, the chief development officer and the chief medical officer, during sudden inspection in rural areas, didn’t find doctors during duty hours.
Observing such incidents, Anil Kumar, the divisional commissioner at Agra in a meeting on January 11 ordered health department officials to ensure that doctors come on time for duty and also directed that attendance of doctors to be recorded on a daily basis through WhatsApp.
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Following strict orders by the divisional commissioner, health department teams are conducting surprise inspections at CHCs and PHCs.
Doctors are required to arrive by 10 AM and run the outpatient department (OPD) till 4 pm every day at these health centres. Some doctors must also remain on duty in the evening to deal with emergency cases.
