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Wednesday, August 28, 2024
NEWS TODAY 28.08.2024
ஆளுமையின் அடையாளங்கள்
Govt docs oppose MMC passport demand
Govt docs oppose MMC passport demand
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai : Madras Medical College (MMC) dean has sparked a controversy by directing all doctors and paramedics to submit their passports to verify their foreign journeys taken with or without govt permission. Doctors at the medical college and govt doctors’ association have protested the move, terming it a “needless intrusion”.
MMC dean Dr E Theranirajan had asked medical officers, nursing staff, paramedical employees, ministerial staff and other staff to furnish a copy of their passport with particulars of foreign journeys undertaken with the permission of the govt and without it. The circular issued on Aug 2 directs them to submit details to the “concerned section” on or before Aug 7.
Hospital sources say around 250 doctors and other staff have submitted their details. Doctors who haven’t submitted argue they have been pressured by seniors to provide copies of their passports. “ They can ask for copies of passports if they suspect a person. How can they randomly ask all of us to submit passport details? Why should our document pass through so many hands,” asked a senior professor at the college.
On Tuesday, hospital dean Dr E Theranirajan said the letter was sent based on instructions from the director of medical education, Dr J Sangumani. On June 31, deputy director of medical education (admin) K Arumugam sent a letter to all heads of medical institutions to submit details under various categories. This includes information about hospital staff with over three years of service, available positions, and unauthorised absences of doctors and paramedical staff. The letter also asked the hospital authorities to submit names of doctors who have travelled abroad with prior permission from the govt and names of doctors who haven’t, along with the action taken report.
“I won’t be able to verify details without checking the passport. Also, I have not forced anyone to submit the passport copy,” he said. Director of Medical Education J Sangumani said, “We were collecting details a s a part of routine administration as the health secretary wanted them. But we did not ask the deans to copies of passports.” The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’Association, which has vehemently protested the move, has asked the DME to drop the verification process. “The circular to produce passport copy is unwarranted,” said association president Dr K S enthil.
The DME should also ensure that the system is made less cumbersome. “It is now so difficult for doctors to get govt permission to travel on short notice. They travel abroad for seminars, conferences or personal reasons to visit a sick relative. Permission requests must be sent to the health secretary and minister through the DME,” he said.
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Senior doctors struggle with patient care, urge juniors to balance agitation with work
Senior doctors struggle with patient care, urge juniors to balance agitation with work
Sumati.Yengkhom@timesofindia.com
Kolkata : With the junior doctors staying away from duty for over two weeks now, their seniors in govt hospitals are struggling to provide services to the patients. Even as they attend to OPD, IPD and emergency patients, doctors said most cold cases are being deferred as they have to prioritise serious cases in the face of severe manpower crunch. Heads of various departments have started appealing to the juniors to balance ceasework with hospital duty.
The seniors said that even as they backed the agitation, the absence of junior doctors was hampering patient services. The surgery department in IPGMER has six units. Earlier, each unit would conduct 10-14 surgeries a day. The number has now dwindled to just around five. In addition to assisting in the surgery, the PGTs were the ones who monitor patients post surgeries.
“The agitation has crossed two weeks and the cold cases might aggravate now. Patient services are getting affected though the protest is legit. We request the junior doctors to make a roster so that some of them work while others are on protest,” said Seraj Ahmed, assistant professor of general surgery at IPGMER. The faculty members and other senior medical officers are putting in more than 12 hours at present to tide over the situation. Despite their ef forts, OPD footfall is still nowhere close to what it used to be even a month back. At Calcutta National Medical College, 13 senior doctors are managing the 200-bedded gynaecology department, which is generally attended to by 48 PGTs, 12 senior residents along with six house staff and some interns. The manpower crunch here is 66 now.
“This was one of the most heinous crimes on a female colleague. We strongly support their cause. At the same time, patients who come to govt hospitals cannot afford treatment in private facilities. Devising a way to carry on with the agitation while returning to work could be a way out,” said Pranab Biswas, gynaecology head at CNMC.































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