SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 2: A lady doctor working in the OPD at the district’s Govindpur community health centre (CHC) was found absent from duty as she went to buy vegetables during a sudden inspection by the Dhanbad civil surgeon (CS) on Thursday evening.
Rattled by the anarchy of the hospital, the civil surgeon withheld the salary of the CHC’s medical officer in charge.
Civil Surgeon Dr Alok Vishwakarma conducted an impromptu inspection of Govindpur CHC, around 15 km away from district headquarters, on Thursday at 7:30 pm. As per the roster, Dr Anjana Kumari was supposed to work in the evening OPD, but she was absent.
When hospital staff phoned her, Dr Anjana Kumari responded that she was buying vegetables. However, after learning that the civil surgeon had arrived at the hospital, she quickly reached there. Dr Viswakarma let her off with a warning.
“It was a serious matter since the doctor on duty went to get vegetables and two delivery patients were admitted to the hospital. We have to make sure that night care is provided to patients in the hospital and such negligence of the medical officer can’t be ignored,” Dr Viswhwakarma stated.
Following a review of the hospital’s job roster, the civil surgeon issued an order holding the salary payment of the medical officer in charge of the CHC Dr H Rahman after finding irregularities in the deployment of doctors and nurses. In the roster, non-trained nurses were put on duty in the labour room. As per the health department guidelines, only trained (SBA) nurses could be given the duty in the labour room to check mother and infant mortality rates.
“We must make sure that patients have access to all hospital amenities and that there is no dearth of doctors and medicines. Therefore, I must concentrate on streamlining health services, particularly at night, at all CHCs, PHCs, and health subcenters in the district’s rural areas,” Dr Vishwakarma said.
Notably, Dr Vishwakarma, who assumed the charge of Dhanbad civil surgeon last month, has begun inspection of all health centres at night including Naxal-affected Tundi CHC.
