Srinagar, Oct 21: J&K Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakina Itoo, today warned doctors of strict action if found abandoning their duties. She said the duty rosters in hospitals were a testament to a decades-old nexus, irrational and in need of a revamp to improve healthcare delivery in rural areas.
She called the posting system and duty allotment a testament to the decades-old nexus in hospitals. “Many doctors are posted at the same place for 15 years, and they have a private clinic nearby, which they attend regularly while avoiding their hospital duties,” she said.
The Minister made the statement after her surprise visit to SDH Pattan, where only two of the 12 doctors were found on duty. She criticised the “roster system,” where 10 doctors are on rest and only two are on duty. “Why would we have only two doctors for the people for whom we have posted 12 doctors in that hospital?” she asked. Itoo said healthcare services in Kashmir are compromised more because of the “irrational” rosters than the actual shortage of doctors.
While speaking to Greater Kashmir, the Health Minister said hospitals needed to revise duty rosters. “Every hospital administration must ensure that doctors, including senior doctors, are present at all hours,” she said. The Minister added that she had already instructed the Health and Medical Education Department to review the roster system.
“I have seen during many inspections that doctors are not present in adequate numbers, and senior doctors are barely available at night,” she said. She further noted that the primary reason for referrals from rural areas to tertiary care hospitals was the absence of staff at night. “Doctors leave the hospital to juniors and students, at times to attend their private practice,” she said.
Assuring action, she said it would be her priority to ensure that doctors, sufficient in number and including senior staff, are present at all hours. “I will be making more surprise visits at night to find out what is being done in hospitals to keep patient services functional round the clock,” she said.
She urged people to flag any absences of doctors during night hours. “Healthcare is a right of the people, and no compromise in its delivery will be tolerated,” she added.
