State asks Baruipur Hosp to scrap directive on WhatsApp location sharing for doctors
kolkata: State health department on Tuesday directed Baruipur sub-divisional hospital to withdraw the notification asking its doctors to share WhatsApp location while joining duty.
Within 7 days since the state Health department decided to prepare roster making it mandatory for all government doctors to devote at least 40 hours in a week in their workplaces, Baruipur sub-divisional hospital on Monday issued a notification requesting all its doctors in outpatient departments, on call service, OT service, emergency service, HDU service, SNCU services to share current whatsapp location with senior officials while joining duties of the day.
The notification issued by the superintendent of the Baruipur Sub-divisional hospital said that decision was taken as per the directives of DDHS (HA) Swasthya Bhavan. "All medical officers are requested to share their current whatsapp location with three senior officials at the time of joining their duties at various departments of the hospital," reads the notification.
The incident triggered criticism by various doctors' organizations. Director of Health Services Dr Ajoy Chakraborty said that the hospital has been asked to withdraw the notification.
Following the publication of the notification, some of doctors' organizations in Kolkata including Service Doctors Forum (SDF) have criticized the step taken by the Baruipur Sub-divisional hospital calling it 'autocratic'. Dr Sajal Biswas, general secretary of SDF said: "This type of move will tarnish the image of doctors and it will also hamper the social position of the physicians."
Some incidents had surfaced in the recent past where family members of the patients accused Baruipur Sub-divisional hospital of starting the treatment late. According to health department sources, there is no shortage of doctors in the hospital.
It may be mentioned here that the state Health department is going to prepare a roster making it mandatory for them to devote at least 40 hours in all the government run health establishments in a week.
The move aims at streamlining health services in government hospitals and also to fix accountability on the government service doctors.
