Bokaro DC warns doctors of stern action if found absent from duty

Shashank Shekhar
Bokaro ( Jharkhand) : Bokaro Civil Surgeon (CS) Dr S Murmu on July 24, 2017, held a high level meeting of doctors and health personnel at his office  to discuss ways to check  monsoon diseases like Diarrhoea, Typhoid, Malaria, Cholera, Gastro-intestinal problems and skin diseases which have been reported from different areas including Gomia, Nawadih, Petarwar, Kasmar Chandrapura,  Bermo and Chas blocks in Jharkhand.

The  civil surgeon directed the doctors  and medical staff to be punctual on their duties at their respective places of posting failing to which action will be taken against them and if found habitual absentee recommendation for their suspension and other actions will be made to Bokaro deputy commissioner (DC) R M Ray.

The CS specific guidelines to doctors posted in rural areas  to ensure   best health services to the people saying several complaints had reached his office regarding inadequate medical services  in almost all the 8 blocks of Bokaro including of naxal infested Gomia, Petrawar  and Nawadih blocks where health staff are hardly found at their place  of posting.

Besides constituting task medical force at block level, a district level task force headed by senior doctors of Bokaro  has  also been constituted by the CS to keep a close watch on functioning of block medical teams which has been supplied all therequired medicine, bleaching powder and medical equipment to give urgent medical treatment.

The CS informed that besides constituting medical teams at every block to keep eye on primary health centres (PHC), phone numbers of all the leading doctors and hospitals have been flashed besides that of his office where information can be passed round the clock to rush emergency medical services.Though all the health centres have been sent necessary medicine but taking extra precaution, all the health centre  incharge have been directed to keep updated with medicine stocks  and send list of medicines and medical equipment needed to tackle any emergency.

After coming to know  about shortage of  saline water, ORS, Metron, Paracetamol and even DDT powders, all the health centre incharge have been asked to take the medicine from headquarters and they could also purchase emergency medicine after taking permission from higher authorities to save lives of patients, said Dr Murmu. “ We have already disinfected all the wells while DDT  power is being given to villagers and medical staff are also spraying it over all water bodies while door  to door search for those suffering from malaria is on,” stated Dr Murmu.

However, complaints being received from differnt blocks besides MLAs and elected representatives of Bokaro at the district headquarters allege that doctors posted in rural areas do not spend even few hours at health centres and are more concerned about their private practice. Gomia MLA Yogendra Mahto, in his letter to Bokaro DC in the second week of July,alleged  that most of the doctors posted at the health centres avoid regular duty and are often found absent after sunset to provide emergency services.

Bokaro DC Ray stated that the CS has been asked to remain vigilant and ensure the doctors posted in rural areas are present at health centres and if any complaint is received against them the same  must be reported to him. “ The doctors found absent from duty will have to face music,” warned the DC.