SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Oct 11: Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA), the frontal organization of state government doctors, has strongly opposed the health department’s notification which makes it mandatory for the medical officers to physically appear before a ‘Medical Board’ before going on a sick leave.
Rattled by the decree, JHSA president Dr PP Shah and secretary Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh have called a meeting at Ranchi on Friday (October 14) to discuss over the state government notification and decide the action against it.
The health department on October 7 issued a notification making it mandatory for the medical officers (doctors) to appear before a Medical Board for getting sick leave. For this, 3-member Medical Boards have been set up in all 24 districts of the state. The notification has also directed that a doctor would proceed on leave only after getting approval from the competent authority.
Dr PP Shah and Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh said that massive resentment is prevailing among the doctors after this notification. JHSA does not want an agitation but the health department will have to adopt a positive attitude towards doctors for smooth health services.
“What is need of this notification when the government had issued a notification on July 15, 2022, that said medical officers would go on leave only after getting approval their from competent authority,” said the JHSA president and secretary.
Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh said JHSA wants to know that why such an order has been issued by the health department. “Why the personnel administrative department has not issued this notification for other departments of the state government while medical officers follow service guidelines properly”, he said.
The JHSA secretary pointed out that it is a direct interference in the fundamental rights of a doctor. “It it strange that the health department has set up Medical Boards for screening doctors but in the Section 152 of Jharkhand Health Service Manual, there is no provision of a Medical Board. It is nothing but a way to harass doctors and derail health services,” he said.
