Puja roster: 40 senior health administrative officials on duty

Kolkata: In a bid to ensure that patients do not face any difficulties while availing treatment both at the Out-Patient and In-Patient Departments of government-run hospitals, the state Health department has prepared roster deploying at least 40 senior health-administrative officials who will maintain liaison with all the district headquarters, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)'s Health department from Swasthya Bhawan.

The step has been taken by the Health department so that any emergency situation or patient-related issues in the IPD or OPD can promptly be taken care of during Puja days. An order has been issued by the Director of Health Services (DHS) Dr Sidhharth Niyogi saying that any of these officers should attend duties on any day in case of exigency. The roster has been designed in such a way that it assigns the officers, including those in the ranks of DDHS, ADHS on all days from Panchami (September 30) to October 10. The control room will be functioning from the section of the public health branch. A senior officer on the rank of DDHS (Admin) and an OSD will remain in charge for the period from September 30 to October 5 and October 6 to October 10 respectively.

The Health department has already issued necessary directives to all the hospitals and medical colleges in the state so that health services are not affected during those festive days. Leave of doctors, non-medical staff and health workers who are on emergency duty have been cancelled. Senior health administrative officials will monitor the situation from Swasthya Bhawan and they will also deal with any emergency situation or natural calamities or any health service related issues in the hospital. All the government hospitals and medical colleges will be able to contact senior health officials at Swasthya Bhawan.