'Govt docs will have to devote at least 40 hrs a week in state-run hosps'

kolkata: In an attempt to streamline health services in government hospitals and also to fix accountability on the government service doctors, 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.

As there is no proper monitoring system, a section of doctors in government hospitals are more interested in practicing at private hospitals.

Despite the state government putting in place several facilities to ensure best medical services to the patients, a section of government doctors is earning a bad name to the government as they are keen on private practice.

Patients often allege that doctors in government hospitals at various levels are interested more in private practice. Health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam on Thursday held a meeting with the top officials of the city's medical colleges and issued necessary instructions in this regard.

A couple of months ago, Director of Health Services in the state Dr Ajay Chakraborty had pointed out that some doctors in government set up are trying to conduct operations of patients in private hospitals under Swasthya Sathi scheme.

Dr Chakraborty also sent across a strong message against any malpractices by government doctors. According to sources in the Health department, a roster will be maintained strictly in all the government health establishments and the rosters will be monitored from Swasthya Bhawan.

"There is a shortage of doctors in some hospitals as a result some doctors have to devote 60 to 96 hours in a week. In some cases, doctors who are affiliated to certain political parties skip their duty hours. There must be uniformity," said Dr Sajal Biswas, general secretary of Service Doctors' Forum.

The doctors, who are referring the patients to another hospital have to ensure that there are vacant beds and adequate infrastructure to handle such patients in the other hospitals. Action will be taken if any lapses are found on the parts of the doctors, who are referring the patients.

There has been a tendency among a section of doctors to transfer the patients to higher settings when the situation does not demand so. As a result all the referral hospitals are often over-burdened with patients.

Most of the district and sub-divisional hospitals are fully equipped to handle patients except in a few disciplines.

Concerned doctors of the department and assistant superintendents of the hospitals have to examine if there was a valid reason behind the transfer of patients. State Health department is also trying to ensure that no emergency patient is denied treatment in the hospital.