In a unique prescription to deal with absenteeism at health centres, the health department has directed doctors on duty at 15 community health centres (CHC) and 43 public health centres (PHC) to send selfies with patients to mark their attendance.
And, if a doctor fails to send a selfie on any day, his salary will be cut and disciplinary action will be taken against him. According to the officials of the health department, the move is aimed to ensure that doctors arrive on time for duty every day.
The move comes after Agra divisional commissioner Anil Kumar received regular complaints of doctors at CHCs and PHCs taking unreported leaves and arriving late for duty.
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On several occasion, the chief development officer and the chief medical officer, during sudden inspection in rural areas, didn¡¯t find doctors during duty hours.
The divisional commissioner during 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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Talking to TOI, chief medical officer (CMO) Mukesh Vats said, ¡°All the in-charges of CHCs and PHCs and other doctors on duty have been directed to send their selfies with patients to register their attendance.
Those who don¡¯t send selfies will be marked as absent. Daily report of absentee doctors and latecomers will be sent to the divisional commissioner, and their salary will be cut.¡±
Doctors must arrive at these health centres by 10 am. They are required to run the outpatient department (OPD) till 4 pm every day. Some doctors must also remain on duty in the evening to deal with emergency cases.
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Following strict orders by the divisional commissioner, health department teams are conducting surprise inspections at CHCs and PHCs. During an inspection on Monday, a team led by CMO Vats found two doctors and three nurses absent at Bah and Jaitpur CHCs.
The superintendent of Jaitpur CHC also could not show the ambulance register. After the inspection, the CMO has ordered that the salary of the absentees staff and the superintendent of Jaitpur CHC be stopped.