BY EOK NEWS DESK
Srinagar, Nov 14: The Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) strongly condemns the recent report issued by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Shopian following a surprise inspection at the District Hospital (DH) Shopian on November 13, 2024. The report, which recorded several staff members as absent, is deeply flawed, leading to unwarranted penalization of healthcare workers and threatening to damage the already delicate doctor-patient relationship.
DAK is particularly concerned that the report misrepresents the operational reality of hospitals. Hospital functioning is entirely different from other government departments. One-third of the staff remains on pre-night off, another third on post-night off, and the remaining staff is on duty during the day. As such, it is normal to see only a portion of the staff present at any given time, especially in the morning hours. The biometric data recorded at 10:10 AM, without allowing sufficient time for updates, resulted in erroneous attendance readings. Despite this, the physical tour by the visiting officer found that all departments were operational at the time.
Furthermore, several errors in the report were particularly troubling. Dr. Mukhtar was marked absent, despite having been transferred over two years ago to serve as the Medical Superintendent at District Hospital Anantnag. Mr. Shahid, a young staff member who passed away two years ago, was incorrectly listed as absent. Additionally, Dr. Bilal, who had been terminated two years ago, was also mistakenly included on the absentee list. These inaccuracies reflect a lack of proper verification and diligence in compiling the attendance records.
These errors are more than just technical mistakes—they have the potential to undermine trust in healthcare providers and demoralize the dedicated staff who work tirelessly to care for the people of the region. Such misrepresentations could erode public faith in healthcare institutions and disrupt the essential doctor-patient relationship.
DAK calls on the district administration to review its assessment methods and rectify the inaccuracies in the report. It is crucial that the authorities engage with the relevant medical officers, such as the Medical Superintendent or Chief Medical Officer, before taking any punitive actions or issuing public statements. As per Civil Services Regulations (CSR), only the appointing authority has the power to suspend an employee, except in disaster situations. It is vital that actions are taken in a fair and transparent manner.
The reputation of one government department reflects on all government departments, and we must collectively respect and uphold the integrity of our institutions. Unjust actions toward healthcare workers will only serve to demoralize those who are committed to providing quality care under challenging circumstances.