Srinagar, Aug 31: Four doctors and a staff nurse were placed under suspension last night by authorities for being allegedly absent from duty during nocturnal inspection of some government run hospitals in the City.
 District Development Commissioner, Srinagar, Baseer Ahmad Khan conducted the inspection at Bone and Joint Hospital, Lal Ded Hospital and SMHS hospital during the intervening night of August 30 and 31 and found four doctors and a staff nurse absent from duty, an official statement said.
 Khan was accompanied by Chief Medical Officer, Srinagar, Dr Dildaar Mir, apart from others officials from Health department and police.
 “The DDC also sought explanation from the Medical Superintendents of the three hospitals for not displaying roster sheet of doctors and paramedics,” the statement said adding “the team took strong note of the non-availability of drugs at the health institutions during night.”
 “The DDC took round of various wards of these hospitals and interacted with patients and attendants during the inspection, to inquire about the facilities being provided to them,” the statement said adding that the “officials also expressed dismay over the not wearing of aprons by doctors and paramedic staff during duty and warned stern action for flouting the rules.”
 Meanwhile sources said the authorities have decided to conduct the surprise inspection in future as well after taking “cognizance of the media reports and bulk of public complaints.”
 Pertinently, Greater Kashmir carried a series of stories about the absence of staff mostly senior doctors from the major hospitals during night hours.
 Patients have complained that emergency wards of SMHS Hospital, LD Hospital, Bone and Joint Hospital, Children Hospital and Chest Diseases Hospital run short of staff all the times particularly during night hours.
 Meanwhile Medical Superintendent of children’s hospital at Sonawar Dr Muneer Masoodi has placed two nurses under suspension for “remaining absent during wait and night duties on Aug 30.”
 Dr Masoodi is understood to have told his staffers that “no indiscipline will be tolerated”.

CIVIL SOCIETY HAILS ACTION
Srinagar: Meanwhile, Civil Society Forum Kashmir has appreciated steps taken by the administration to keep check on available workforce in City hospitals during nights.
 “The midnight surprise checks initiated by the Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar are a good step towards ensuring some improvement and accountability among the heathcare professionals,” a spokesman of the organization said in a statement.
 “We request the administration to extend scope of such activities in other districts and towns of the Valley,” the CSFK spokesman said.
 The forum also requested the doctors and other healthcare professionals that they should ensure that “patients get the best of the healthcare during the nights.”

Lastupdate on : Fri, 31 Aug 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 31 Aug 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST